Detrás de la Luna
by Sybil Marvin
Summary: She's a human girl working at a chocolate shop, he's a werewolf destined to be the leader of his pack. Everyone told them they shouldn't be together. Must there be sacrifices for true love? IchiHime, RenRuki, IshiTats, ShuRan, & more...
1. ACT I : Creatures of the Night

_They are creatures of the night, mythical beings that prowl on the streets when the night is at its darkest hours. _

_They are one to be feared, so we are told, for they are fearless hunters. They hunt when children are safely tucked under the warmth of their blankets, and when the adults slumbered off, regaining their energy after a hard day at work. As the moon shines on the face of mother earth, they become faster and stronger. And when they hunt, they never fail to catch their prey._

_They too, are said to be ruthless killers._

_They are known to be merciless to the pleas of their victims. They tear open their guts and rumors have it that they even eat their victims' still-beating hearts._

_They are immortal beings, ones who weren't bound by the nature of aging. They live a long, and sometimes, lonely life. _

_They have weaknesses, oh they do. Like any other beings, the do have weaknesses._

_And if you tell people that such creatures exist, they would call you crazy. However, the truth remains that such strong, mythical creatures exist._

_Oh they do exist, my friend…_

_**You better believe it…**_

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The sound of sirens blasted into the silence of the dawn. People clad in uniforms rushed in and out of a small house at the corner of the street. Frantic calls were made through the radios in the police cars.

Neighbors tried to peer inside from behind the police's yellow tape, curious about what happened inside that house.

There was an emergency.

A sleek, black car, a Toyota Celica sped up the street and pulled beside a police car. The engine soon was halted to a stop and a young man stepped outside.

He was a tall, well-built, good-looking young man. He was 28 years old, and he was a well-known policeman in his town. He had a long, red hair, which he tied into a ponytail. He was wearing a plain t-shirt and he sported weird-looking tattoos on his hands. And his eyebrows were as weird, drawn with the same markings as those on his body.

Ignoring the curious eyes of people at the scene, he walked straight up to the house surrounded by yellow tapes. He lifted up the yellow tape and ducked in, immediately walking toward the house.

A police officer in uniform stood just outside the house. Noticing the young man with the red hair walking up, he immediately bowed, "Good morning, Abarai-san." He then reached over and pushed open the door, giving access to the man he greeted earlier.

The man with the red hair merely grunted in reply, as he simply walked passed the officer. He was feeling cranky. He was not a morning person, and getting emergency calls at four in the morning certainly wasn't on his ten favorite lists on how to start a great day.

Cursing, he walked inside.

As soon as he stepped into the house, his nose had caught a whiff of a sickening smell. A smell he'd became very familiar with.

The stench was unmistakable. _Blood_. It was overpowering. Had he been in his early years, he was pretty sure he would gag.

It was a small house, with few furniture and simple decorations. The owner lived alone, probably a student, seeing as there was absolutely no expensive pieces of decorations he could see in the living room. Human beings were proud creatures, who loved to put in display whatever things they considered to be most valuable and most envied by others, in order to gain attention. This sometimes resulted in crimes, and Abarai Renji had always considered those kinds of show-off behaviors to be plain stupid.

He'd been informed on the radio that the incident had taken place in the bedroom, but he was in no hurry to get there. Instead, he walked around the living room slowly, all the while trying not to think of the sickening odor nearly suffocating him.

He noticed few pictures hung on the wall and some in the frames on the TV cabinet, placed neatly next to the television itself. In them, there were faces of smiling people, and in all of them, there was a young blond girl with long, straight hair. She looked like she was in her early twenties. Probably the one living in the house.

Renji searched more around the room, entered the bathroom, the kitchen, paying no attention to people greeting him '_good morning'_, searching for clues, indicators on whomever it was living in the house. But he'd found none. It appeared that the young woman lived alone.

Finally, he set off to do what he dreaded the most about his job. With years of experiences as a cop, he'd learned that whatever you discovered at the crime scene would still shock you. No matter how many deaths you've seen. No matter how many cases you'd solved.

He mentally steeled himself before entering the room from where the smell was reeking. The bedroom. The scene of the crime. Judging by the smell, he knew he wouldn't like what he'd find in there.

And boy, was he right.

The first thing he noticed was the color red. Dark red. Almost black. He had always liked red. Hell, he was proud of his red hair. But the reds of the blood? _Never_. He never liked it. In fact, he hated it. And right at that moment, his vision was tainted with that hateful color.

Blood was splattered everywhere in that small space of a bedroom. On the floor. On the wall. On the bed sheet. On some of the furniture used to decorate the room. Some were even on the ceiling. _It was everywhere_. He never knew a human being could bleed so much.

And that horrible stench. It was even stronger in here.

He began to scan the room, and his eyes caught sight of a gruesome-looking body, _if you could still call it one_, right there on the bed. The corpse was horribly mangled. It would be almost impossible for the coroner to identify which parts was which, as there were pieces of meat scattered all over the place. On the bed itself and some on the floor. Even half of the victim's face was destroyed and there was a gaping hole on the skull. It was the very place where the brain should have been.

Slowly, he stepped closer towards the unsightly corpse, or at least what remained of it. A few steps nearing the bed, he stopped, immediately regretting what he'd done earlier. From that close of a view, by the remaining intact features on the face, he could make out that the victim was a woman, probably a very young one.

For once in his life ever since he'd became a cop, Abarai Renji shivered.

He'd been to hundreds of crime scenes. He'd investigated numbers of murders. He'd seen deaths. He'd seen plenty of corpses. But none of them, absolutely none, was as grisly as the one right in front of his eyes.

"What a sight, huh?"

Startled, he whirled around toward the sound of the voice.

A bald man, with almost the same height and the same built as his, only slightly smaller, was staring at the victim. His eyes betrayed no emotions. It was a completely blank stare.

"Ikkaku. What are you doing here? I thought you're supposed to man the office tonight."

The bald man shrugged, "I got bored. So I switched with Yumichika. He was on field duty tonight. He was more than glad to agree, saying something like '_I dislike going to dirty crime scenes_' and such."

Renji pictured the said man and mumbled an agreement. Ayasegawa Yumichika was a narcissistic man who seemed to think of himself as somewhat 'beautiful', and he hated going to crime scenes, claiming them to be dirty, smelly, ugly and hideous. _Well, what do you expect from a man who colored his hair purple and wore colorful feathers on his eyelashes and eyebrows?_

But, just as he and the bald man standing beside him, Madarame Ikkaku, Ayasegawa Yumichika was an excellent cop. If he weren't, he wouldn't have made it to their squad. The highest-ranking police squad in all of Karakura. Nicknamed the Covert-Ops Squad, only the best cops in town would stand a chance to enter the prestigious squad. Only cops with excellent skills, be it in weaponry, martial arts or detective works were known to enter the squad.

Their squad was envied by most fellow crime-fighters, as they were reputed to be highly paid, respected by the upper echelons of the police society, and that they got their hands on the most famous, most demanding, and most mind-baffling cases. More importantly, they were allowed to carry on their duty in free clothing whereas other polices must conform to the police's dress code, and unlike those 'regular' cops from other squads, they were able to use their own cars while on duty, instead of using the police cars.

But being on the squad was actually far from glamorous. Being deemed the most excellent squad around, they were handed the most difficult cases, and the most risky ones as well, which put them constantly in danger. And there was nothing fun in wearing plain clothes and driving their own cars while on duty as well, it was simply requirements to make their identity as law enforcers unknown. One small mistake and not only they would jeopardize their own life, but their loved ones as well.

"And when I got the call mentioning that this one could be caused by the same killer who killed our Jane Doe last month, I just couldn't resist it," Ikkaku added after a long pause.

"You're a sick man."

"I'm not. I just love crime scenes."

"You're a sick man."

Ikkaku was about to reply Renji's matter-of-fact statement when another man stepped into the room. He seemed to be a few years older than Renji and Ikkaku. He was a little shorter and smaller built than the younger men. He had a number '69' tattooed on his left cheek and on the right side of his face, there was a set of three scars, straight over his right eye and down his right cheek. And there was another tattoo, this one blue and striped. It ran across his left cheek and over the bridge of his nose, ending right above the '69'. He also wore something that looked very much like a jeweled choker around his throat.

Clad in a white lab coat, the man who had just entered the room, Hisagi Shuuhei, the coroner, wore a morose expression on his face.

Renji had always held a great amount of respect for the man he considered his senior in police service. Hisagi was the one who'd taken him under his wings when he'd first landed a job as a cop. He was instructed by his captain to get some reports from the Coroner's Office and he immediately taken to a liking to Hisagi when he'd met him then.

Hisagi was the one who reminded him that life in crime-fighting business as theirs can be cruel, because they would have to face the ugliest side of humanity on a daily basis. Murderers, grieving families, and numerous deaths are some of the things they would somehow have to gotten used to in order to carry on their responsibility without losing their mind.

Whenever he felt down after a long, hard day at work, Renji would stop by the Coroner's Office and the both of them would hit the local bar, drowning away their stress of the day.

"May I ask to have the discussion outside? I find it very uncomfortable to be in this room."

Silently agreeing, Renji and Ikkaku both nodded and the three of them stepped outside into the living room. The disturbing stench Renji had smelled earlier was somehow still as strong over there, but still, he was glad to be out of the bedroom. He couldn't stand being in the same room as the poor woman's corpse any longer.

"So Doc, what's the deal here?" Ikkaku began.

Hisagi drew a deep breath, "From the initial inspection I'd done earlier, I was certain that the MO for this one was exactly the same as the few killings we'd discovered over the past six months."

"No surprise there," came Ikkaku reply.

So far, their squad had came across three deaths in the period of six months, and this one would made it four, suspected done by the same killer or killers. All the corpses were either found in their own home, on their own bed, or in a motel, or in a completely weird place, and all the corpses were somehow hideously disfigured, as if someone or _something_ deliberately tore up their bodies. And all of them, except for the first victim who was in a far better condition than the others, were almost totally unrecognizable.

The previous victim's corpse, the one they'd called Jane Doe didn't even retain a human form. At first glimpse, in all that muddle of flesh and blood, it was almost impossible to tell whether it was a human corpse or that of an animal's. She was found at a house in the farthest corner of Karakura. They had thought that it was the corpse of the owner of the house, but DNA testing showed otherwise. No records were found of the victim.

The house owner had been going on a vacation and was shocked to find her house had been the scene of a ghastly murder. She admitted to never letting anyone her house key, and that none of her close friends and family was missing.

The other two victims were males. The first one was the corpse of a man in his middle thirties who worked as a teacher in the local school. His name was Kenzaki Ryusei, and he was remembered by his friends and family as a kind man. Unmarried, he lived alone and his colleagues reported him missing after he'd been absent for three days straight from work and they were unable to contact him. Known to be a highly responsible person, such act of absentness was considered alarming by his colleagues.

Though his corpse suffered some heavy wounds and scratches, along with a missing brain, Kenzaki Ryusei's body was still intact and his father, upon being called to the morgue to identify the victim, was immediately able to recognize him.

The second victim however, was unidentified, as was the victim afterwards. The body was found in a motel, and with no records of registration. It was assumed that it was a corpse of a man in his early twenties but it was impossible to be sure, as his body and faces were severed badly into pieces. Hisagi and his team had to do bone reconstruction and identification in order to determine the victim's gender and age. Unable to identify the victim, he was simply called by the name John Doe. As of now, they were still trying to trace the identification of the victim.

Hisagi continued his explanation, "The corpses were mangled or _torn off_, most likely while they're still alive and still very aware of their surroundings, as there were no traces of anesthetic drugs in their bloodstream. And I'm pretty sure this one would turn up like that as well."

"_Torn off_?" it was Renji, sounding strained and disturbed by what he heard. Hisagi had explained the conditions of the previous victims before but hearing it again still made it as disturbing as the first time he'd heard it.

"Yes," Hisagi nodded solemnly. "Same as the other three previous murders, this one appears to have been done without the aid of sharp weapons or tools."

"No weapons… It means…" Renji's voice trailed off, unable to say what he wanted to say.

"It would mean that the killer or killers did the deeds, bare-handedly."

"_Holy shit!_"

"It's as if the victim was torn up and ripped off."

Renji shot a glare at Ikkaku, annoyed by his calm sentence. "But their wounds, and the way their bodies were destroyed… It was impossible to do that with your bare hands. Even when you had help."

"Except if you have claws."

This time, both Renji and Hisagi shot an annoyed look at the bald man. He seemed to be enjoying himself. Madarame Ikkaku was an action-driven man, and a good case, no matter how disturbing or how sick it was, would definitely spark his interest.

"Don't be ridiculous. No animal could do something like that either. Except for a lion, or a large tiger, but I'll be damned if those animals could roam around freely in the middle of the city without us noticing them."

A grin formed on Ikkaku's mouth, "_Well, maybe it's done by werewolves_." And then he laughed, much to the other men's annoyance.

"Quit being so irritating!" Then, turning to face Hisagi, Renji said in a much lower voice, "Make sure you call me after you've done with autopsy."

Hisagi nodded. Ikkaku shrugged his shoulder, "We're done here anyway. Let the lab people do what they're paid to do. I'm gonna head back to the headquarters. See ya there, Renji."

"Yeah. See ya."

With that, Ikkaku walked out of the house. Minutes later, a car was heard leaving the vicinity.

Renji scratched the back of his neck. Ikkaku could be so downright annoying sometimes. But despite his bizarre interests in cruelty and anything involving blood and gore, Renji knew that he was a friend that you could rely on. He was the type of friend who would stay loyal and be there for you when you needed him.

And right now, he needed his morning fix of coffee. _Badly_.

"Sometimes it sickens me to witness all these murders."

Renji let out a deep sigh, "Same here, _senpai_."

Hisagi turned his gaze towards the direction of the bedroom. "Wonder how her family would react to the news of her death. She seemed to be so young."

"Deaths never brought pleasant reactions. At least not on the family."

Silence fell between them.

"Have you ever wondered how it would feel like if something like that happens to our loved ones?"

Along with Hisagi's question, an image popped into Renji's thought involuntarily. It was an image of someone very important to him. Someone whom he loved dearly. Someone who he would protect with his own life. Someone with long, auburn tresses and very, very beautiful. She's got large, beautiful gray eyes. She seldom smiled, but when she does, it was like a ray of bright sunshine.

Then that beautiful image disappeared and was replaced with another image of her. Only in this one, her face was bloody, and her body wounded. She was screaming for help…

Renji shuddered. He cleared his throat, trying to shake the horrible thought away.

If something were to happen to her, he would never be able to forgive himself. _Never_.

"Wanna grab some drinks later tonight?"

Snapped away from his thought, Renji looked over apologetically at the man he respected so much. "Nope. I promised mama I'd be home for dinner tonight."

"Mama's boy."

"Whatever."

Then, an idea popped into Renji's head, "Hey, maybe you could come over for dinner. I've always wanted to introduce my family to you."

"Any beautiful, sexy women in your family?"

"Pervert."

"Hey, it's an absolutely normal, healthy interest!"

"Bullshit."

And then they both laughed. They laughed so hard that a few of the crime scene people stopped what they're doing and stole a glance at the two men.

"Ahh… The atmosphere was so tense here. Seriously, I can't come. Not when the image of the victim still etched clearly into my mind. I just need a few drinks to drive all those images away. The sooner the better."

"Whatever you think is good for you," Renji said sarcastically. "Maybe some other time then."

"Yeah. Some other time…"

Renji bowed and asked for leave. Before reaching the door, he stopped walking and turned around to look at Hisagi, his lips forming a small smile. "It's good to see you, _senpai_."

"Same here, Renji. Send my regards to your family."

Renji waved his hand behind his back, "Will do."

* * * * *

A few hours later, Renji returned to his squad's headquarters. He'd grabbed breakfast and his much needed shot of caffeine on his way back. He was feeling way better than he'd been earlier.

His good mood was short-lived anyway, as immediately after, his captain called for a meeting.

The Covert-Ops Squad's captain was a small, petite, dark-haired woman. In fact, Captain Soi Fon was the smallest person in their squad. Despite her fragile appearance, she was well-respected among the members of the squad. She was a strict leader and would not tolerate any violations of the rules, whether ones governed by law or the ones she decided for the members of the Covert-Ops Squad.

She was an expert in hand-to-hand combats, and was known to defeat men thrice her size. Renji himself had witnessed a large, strong man from the District Attorney's office, Omaeda Marechiyo, who seemed to cower in Captain Soi Fon's presence. And she had an extremely excellent reputation as a cop, never failing a case as she was someone who was deeply focused in whatever cases she was working on.

And she was not too fond of cowards, lazy people, or weak ones.

All in all, it's better not to get on Captain Soi Fon's bad side.

To Renji, she looked even smaller sitting behind the meeting table. In light of the new murder, she had called forth a meeting with her best men. Four of them. She had a stern expression on her face and Renji was dead sure that she wasn't in her greatest mood.

Ikkaku had just finished reading his report on the most recent case. Captain Soi Fon was flipping over the photocopied pages of the report made for her.

"So the coroner was sure that it was the same mysterious killer."

"Pretty sure, Captain," came Ikkaku's reply.

"Hmm…"

"Then this would mean this case would attract more media attentions. And nearing the elections, the mayor's sure not gonna like this. Which means more pressure and more work for us."

"Such gruesome murders. Such hideous crimes. I would do anything to stop this unsightly incidents."

"My, my. What a high spirit, Ayasegawa-san." The remark came from a morose-looking, smaller man, compared to Renji and Ikkaku but slightly larger built than Ayasegawa Yumichika. He had straw blond hairs that covered his left eye and they fell on his shoulder. He appeared to be about the same age as Renji and Ikkaku. He was the most quiet among the four, only speaking when he felt he needed to. He appeared to be depressed almost all the time. As much as the other three men liked him, he was almost always wasn't invited to their outings, claiming he brought around so much gloom that his presence would only ruin the mood.

"I appreciate such enthusiasm, Ayasegawa. Anyway, Kira, have you find out the identities of our unknown victims?" The question was addressed to the blond man.

Kira Izuru bowed politely at his captain, "I'm sorry, captain. The forensic people were trying their best doing facial reconstructions. However, judging by the damage done to the skulls, it was going to be a hard work. Even if they managed to do it, it would be highly doubtful to be accurate."

Captain Soi Fon muttered a curse under her breath. "Ikkaku, what about the most recent victim's vital organs?"

Ikkaku cleared his throat, suddenly feeling uneasy. "They were missing, Captain."

Yes. The same thing happened to the other victims as well. The brain, the heart, the liver and the lung were missing from the corpses. One could only wonder what the killer could possibly want with the organs.

"We had already ruled out the possibility of syndicates selling human organs in black markets as the one responsible for the murders. Ripping off the organs would cause damage and there is no way these syndicates risking those valuable organs like that."

"That's right, Abarai. But think, what other possible reason to take away the organs?"

"To eat?"

"That's _disgusting_, Ikkaku."

"Shut up, Yumichika. For you, everything _is_ disgusting."

"Cut it off, both of you! Show some respect for the Captain!"

Ikkaku and Yumichika both snapped at Kira, "Shut up, Kira!"

Captain Soi Fon slammed her hand on the table. Silence fell across the room. No one dared to cross her when she was pissed.

"Stop behaving like children!"

Simultaneously, all of them, _including Renji_, apologized.

"This is a serious matter. And, considered as the elites of the police squad, I expect good things and results from all of you. Try to solve this case as soon as you can. Stop the killer before someone else gets killed.

"Yes, Captain," again, they said it simultaneously.

"Abarai, Ikkaku, the two of you are to work on the most recent case. Ayasegawa, you are to check the database of missing persons for the last six months and see if they were somehow linked to the place where the victims were found. Find out the similarities between those victims. We needed those data to narrow down our search. And Kira, keep in touch with the Forensic Lab. As soon as the facial reconstructions were done, take immediate action and try to match it with Ayasegawa's lists of missing persons. Try your best to identify the John Doe and Jane Doe."

"Yes, Captain."

They sat unmoved in their seats. Suddenly unable to move, fearing that their captain would get more annoyed if they do.

"Well? Get going. Do you need your asses whipped?"

"Yes, Capt~ Eh… No, Captain!"

And they scrambled out of the room. No one dared to stand the wrath of Captain Soi Fon.

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_And thus, began a story never told… _

_A story of creatures that came alive in the night…_

_A story of love between two very opposite beings…_

_A story of hope, faith, and sacrifices…_

_A story of evil, deceits, and manipulations…_

_Good against evil…_

_Hope against desperations…_

_Faith against deceits…_

_Sacrifices against manipulations…_

_Black versus white…_

_It all happened…_

_Behind the moon…_

_**Detrás de la Luna… **_


	2. ACT II : Chance Encounters

**Author's Note :** Dear Readers, I'm sorry for the late update. My life's pretty hectic nowadays. The third chapter would be up faster since it's already half finished (_I started writing the third chapter before this one_). Well, I hope this chapter didn't disappoint my readers out there. It turned out longer than I had intended and I had some IchiHime, RenRuki and RenHime (_not what you think!_) goodness in here.

And I would like to apologize in advance to Rukia and Kaien's fans. I love them as well but this is an AU fic and I had to make them the way they are in this story, so I'm sorry that they turned out very different from their original characters. I would like to mention here that the RenRuki scene was inspired from a Korean drama I watch currently, titled 'Three Brothers'. I had fun writing that particular scene.

For those unfamiliar with Japanese words, '_onii-chan_' means brother, and '_dono_' was a Japanese honorific.

Sorry for the rambling. I hope you Readers enjoy this chapter!! And review please!! XD

**Disclaimer :** I don't own Bleach.

* * *

_Do you believe in destiny?_

_That it's meant to be you and me…_

_Do you believe it's all written on the stars?_

_One day we'll meet each other…_

_That Fate had decided it all from the beginning…_

_Even five lifetimes over…_

_We will still be together…_

_Do you believe it?_

_Cause if you do…_

_Just take my hands…_

_And together…_

_We'll chase destiny…_

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Renji uttered a curse. He was tired. He had been up early in the morning, and then he had to investigate a horrifying crime scene. The day was already late. He had promised his mother to be home for dinner and he was pretty sure he wouldn't be able to get home in time. Now, to top things off, he had to interview the policeman who had first discovered the victim, the second Jane Doe.

And the fact that the said policeman was a member of the 4th Squad, which was deemed to be the weakest squad in Karakura didn't help at all.

One of the things that Abarai Renji couldn't tolerate was weak people.

The one sitting before him at that moment, Yamada Hanatarou, was one of those people.

He was a small and short guy. He had straight, black hair that ended below his ears, and of all the times Renji had been talking to him, he appeared to be very nervous and kept fidgeting with his necktie.

Renji let out a deep sigh. He had spent half an hour asking questions but that Yamada guy seemed to be of no help. He had explained to Renji that he was on duty that morning and had been patrolling the area where the victim's house was. He was about to walk away from that area when his flashlight caught a shadow moving swiftly away from the direction of the house. He mentioned that the shadow had sort of disappeared into thin air, and he had no chance at all to follow it.

And then he went to the victim's house, wanted to make sure that nothing happened over there. He knocked on the door several times but there was no answer. He was pretty sure that whoever lived in that house was inside, seeing that there was a pair of shoes outside and the light was on. His instinct was telling him that something bad could have happened inside that house so he busted in through the door.

That was how Yamada Hanatarou discovered the body.

And that was exactly what he reported. Renji cursed again, _this is going absolutely nowhere_.

Renji closed his notebook and got up. "Seems like I'm done here."

Hanatarou got up as well, "Thank you, Abarai-san."

"I should be the one thanking you. Well, please let me know if you remember anything else that happened that night."

"I will."

Forcing out a small smile, Renji walked towards the door, and was about to reach for the handle when they heard a call radioed through. It mentioned a situation, a ruckus that took place at a nearby bar.

Renji noticed that Hanatarou became even more nervous.

"Aren't you going to respond to that? It's in your jurisdiction, you know?"

"A-ah, I should, but I can't leave the station right now since there's no one else here."

"Then, dispatch the task to your squad members."

Hanatarou grew white, "A-about that… I-I c-can't seem to contact any one of them. I-I tried before…"

Renji's eyes went huge, "You what?"

"I-I don't know w-where they are."

"Unbelievable! What kinds of cops are in this squad? No matter where you go, you're supposed to inform your squad members. And where the hell is your Captain?"

"I-I haven't seen Captain Zaraki in about a w-week now."

Renji slapped his forehead. This is totally unacceptable. No wonder this squad was called 'the weakest squad around'. And the squad members totally lived up to their squad's name.

"What am I supposed to do? I can't leave but I have to respond to the call."

Renji let out another deep sigh. Things were getting more and more annoying to him. "I'll go. Since I'm in the area as well."

Hanatarou seemed to be shocked at first. It wasn't an emergency call, and it was not something that an elite cop obligated to respond to. But then, relief overcame him and he started bowing uncontrollably.

"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much, Abarai-san."

"Whatever."

"Thank you."

Renji simply waved his hand, grabbed his jacket and walked out.

Little did he know, he was about to get involved in a much more annoying situation.

* * * * *

It was cold outside. The cold breeze was blowing softly but the chill it caused made the auburn-haired woman shivered a bit. She pulled her black jacket tighter, hoping it would stop the shivering.

It was nearly midnight and the streets were empty, save for a few people heading over to the local nightclub. As she walked past them, they nodded at her, and she returned it.

No one seemed to question why a young, beautiful woman like her walked alone on an almost deserted street at such an hour. And she wasn't heading towards the bar like the rest of them, that's for sure.

Or why, such a helpless and fragile looking woman like her wasn't afraid of walking alone.

A few drops of rain fell on her fair, flawless skin, and she pulled her hood up, covering her head. She was completely alone on the street now. The streetlights were mostly broken and it would have been completely dark outside if it hadn't been for the full moon.

She quickened her steps, anxious to reach her destination. The silence around her had started to give her the creeps. She knew that no one in Karakura would dare to harm her, since they were well aware that should anything happened to her, Abarai Renji would not let things off that easily. As for other things, well, _her friends had told stories about ghosts that haunt the streets…_

Inoue Orihime shook her head, trying to push the thoughts away. She increased her pace, glanced a few times over her shoulder as the thoughts she had earlier forced their way into her mind over and over again.

As soon as she reached the entrance of an old church, she stopped walking and let out a relieved sigh. _Finally, I'm here…_, she thought as she looked up in awe at the majestic building standing proudly before her.

It was the oldest church in Karakura. She wasn't much of a religious person, but at certain times, she loved going to this church as it gave her a sense of peace and belonging. And sometimes it made her feel like she believed that there really is life after death, that people went to a beautiful place after they died. _A place where everything looked nice, smelled nice, and calm like this church. _

She put her hands on the heavy oak door and gave a hard push. The door opened with a loud creak, and she was greeted with a beautiful sight.

The all-white altar stood proudly before her, at the centre of the church, and there were white lilies and lavenders, a beautiful combination of white and purple, assembled together at the foot of the altar. Looming up above the altar was a statue of Christ on a crucifix, a symbol of sacrifice, the savior of all mankind.

The church windows were decorated with beautiful stained glasses. There were paintings on the wall too, paintings that retold the scenes from the Bible. She had been inside this church a few times, but everything about it intrigued her. Sometimes it even felt like coming home.

Alone in here, she could pour her heart out. Whatever had made her sad, she could tell them all to God. Whatever dilemmas she faced that got her confused, whatever she worried about, she could ask them to God. And she knew He would listen, without judging, without questioning. And just like that, she would feel as if a burden had been lifted from her shoulder.

She bowed at the huge statue of Christ crucified above the altar, as a sign of respect for the Lord, and began walking towards the altar. She stopped when she reached it and began kneeling. She set down the folder she was carrying and closed her eyes.

She prayed. She prayed for the souls who faced untimely death, she prayed for the ones who had suffered a lot in their lives and she prayed for those people to gain happiness. She prayed for them, and herself too. For she herself had lost someone she loved dearly too, she had suffered and she wanted nothing other than to be granted happiness, and for her dead loved one to be granted happiness as well.

She prayed silently, completely unaware of a pair of amber eyes watching her intently from above the church balcony.

* * * * *

Renji groaned as he leaned back and rest his head on the sofa, finally getting to rest after a long, tiring and annoying day. His muscles were aching badly and his head felt like it was about to explode. He lifted his legs and rested them on the coffee table, letting out another groan.

His day had just gone from bad to worse.

It had all started with that damn emergency call. Then Captain Soi Fon had been on their cases all day long, shouting, "Move your lazy butts and start working!" whenever she saw any one of them _sitting_. Boy, he was sure that woman was totally losing it.

Then, he'd met that guy from 4th Squad, Yamada Hanatarou, afterwards he'd somehow become entangled in some love-affairs-gone-wrong mess. And that was why he'd came home at nearly 11 p.m., late for dinner, which had caused him to suffer from his mother's unstoppable nagging. She usually did that whenever she was mad. She got mad when she was upset. And Renji hated making his mother upset.

His mother, Matsumoto Rangiku, was a beautiful woman in mid-forties. She was a tall woman, and she had beautiful, long, luscious strawberry blond hairs with _killer assets_ that seemed to be another women's envy. And the fact she loved wearing revealing clothes didn't help much either. She had aged over the years but her face hadn't shown any line of wrinkles. To Renji, she was as beautiful as he had first remembered her.

People often joked about him being named 'Abarai' when his mother's surname was 'Matsumoto' must meant that he was a child born out of wedlock. He was upset because of that joke, and had asked her. She simply said that she had named him after his father, the one she had simply referred to as '_old man Abarai_' whom she married at a very young age. But he died before Renji was born, and then she began using her maiden name again.

He had wanted to ask her why she didn't kept the name 'Abarai', because if she did he probably wouldn't get teased as much, but she told him that all that matters was they had each other and that they loved each other. An answer she gave him whenever she refused to reveal more. An answer she usually used just to get her small child to shut up.

At that time, it was the two of them against the world. The red-haired boy with his young, busty, beautiful mother. His mother had never remarried, and he never asked why, because he knew what the answer would be.

Renji shifted in his seat and put up his legs on the coffee table. Had his mother saw him doing that, she wouldn't like it, but right now she was asleep in her room. She had gone up after she had clearly instructed him to wash all the dishes earlier as his punishment for missing dinner.

He was glad that Tatsuki decided to go to bed early as well. That woman was as bad as his mother, nagging non-stop over small matters he done. _They probably spent too much time together_, he thought bitterly as he recalled Tatsuki lecturing him on how he should be a better son, as she served him chocolate pudding earlier.

_Women… Sometimes they can be downright annoying_.

And he had met another one just a few hours earlier.

:

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:

_When he decided to respond to the call for the 4th Squad, Renji hadn't expected something worse than a normal brawl among the local citizens who'd had too much to drink._

_He'd parked his car outside the bar. The first thing he noticed was the bartender who stood near the door, looking in every now and then to check what happened inside. _

"_What's going on in there?" Renji asked as he walked up and reached the bartender's side._

"_They are crazy! I had tried to stop them but they just wouldn't stop!" He continued to ramble, "I opened earlier to get ready for a hectic night, but then she came in, and then he came in… and they started fighting…"_

_Smirking, Renji thought, _it couldn't be that bad_, and started to walk inside, only to be greeted by a flying object that landed smack on his forehead._

"_Ouch!! What the hell was that?" Hand on his forehead, he shouted as he took a glance at the black thing lying a few feet away from him. It was… _a woman's shoe_?_

"_What the fuck is going on inside?" He muttered angrily and stormed inside._

_Standing in the middle of the room was a small, raven-haired woman, with a black shoe in her right hand, exactly the same as the one lying outside the bar. He noticed from her smudged mascara that she had been crying. Her hair and clothes were disheveled and she had a mixture of hurt and anger expressed on her face. Her shoulder heaved up and down, a sign of her heavy breathing._

_There were broken glasses everywhere. She obviously had thrown them around. And there were broken chairs lying all across the room as well._

"_They're going to pay a lot for this," the bartender said, but Renji simply ignored the man behind him._

_A few distances away from her, with his back towards Renji, was a tall, dark-haired man in business clothing, who looked cautiously at her, while keeping his arms hovering in front of him, getting ready for another attack from her._

_The man, aware of Renji's presence, stole a brief glance at him. "Are you a cop?"_

"_Yes, I'm here to help."_

"_Good. I swear this woman is going to kill me."_

"_It was your fault!" she screamed suddenly, startling Renji._

_The man turned to face her again, "We weren't married. I was free to choose whoever I want to spend my whole life with!"_

"_We were together for three straight years, damn it! You could have told me you've fallen out of love with me! But you're a coward! You simply didn't have a gut to tell me something that simple!"_

"_Fine! I've fallen out of love with you!"_

_The man's words hurt her, and Renji watched as hurt flickered in her eyes. "Kaien-dono… How could you?"_

_Taking a deep breath, the man replied, "I love her more than I've ever loved you... And we never fight as much as you and I do…"_

"_But I love you… I gave everything to you… Everything you asked for…" She collapsed on the floor and began sobbing, "And I would do anything for you…"_

"_Rukia…"_

_She looked up at him, her violet eyes filled with tears, and watching from the side, Renji pitied that woman._

"_Please… Come back to me…"_

"_Rukia, I love her, and I'm going to marry her. There is no way I'll come back to you! This three years I spent with you had caused me enough suffering!"_

"_What?"_

"_Didn't you hear me? I suffered! I suffered, Rukia! We were wrong for each other! We have to stop lying to ourselves!"_

_What he said seemed to stir something else inside her. Anger. Abarai Renji could see it flaming in her eyes as she stood up slowly, her body shaking._

"_What did you say? You… suffered?"_

"_Yes!"_

"_You could have told me earlier! Why wait for three years to come clean with it all? You could have saved yourself from having to tell me the strings of lies again and again!"_

"_I didn't lie!"_

"_Yeah? What about all this time when I asked to meet you for dinner and you said you had to work late? What about when I asked you to stop by at my apartment, you said you have a late meeting?" She paused a bit, and then asked slowly, "You were meeting her behind my back, weren't you?"_

_The man she called Kaien-dono looked down on the floor, and Renji noticed an expression of guilt flashed on his face, for the first time ever since he'd been here._

"_I did."_

"_You jerk…" she said through gritted teeth._

"_I had fun being with her. She was so different from you! I was suffocated by you and I had to find an escape route!"_

"_Was… was being with me that… _bad_?"_

"_Rukia, look, I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier~"_

"_Tell me!"_

"_Oh, for fuck's sake, woman! Yes! You are annoying! Controlling! Clingy bitch! And looking at you now, I'd say you're a pathetic one too! I just couldn't wait to get rid of you so I can be with her!"_

_Renji couldn't believe his ears. It was bad enough this guy cheated on his girlfriend. He didn't have to rub it in her face as well. "Hey, hey, dude… That's enough."_

"_Don't butt in, buddy. This is between me and her."_

_Renji stepped and grabbed the guy's arm. "You made it my business when you cause ruckus and disturbed everyone."_

"_Hey, I didn't cause a ruckus! She did!" The guy pointed at the small woman, who was now trembling._

_Renji couldn't stand the look on her face, "Dude, that's pretty low."_

"_You're a jerk, Kaien! I hate you!!"_

"_Then don't bother to get in touch with me." Pushing away Renji's grip on his arm, the man stepped away from Renji, "If you want to stop this ruckus, arrest that woman, officer. _She_ was the one who needs to control her emotions."_

"_I hate you!!" she screamed again, and threw her other shoe, missing Renji's head by a few centimeters. _That woman really has a bad aim_, Renji thought suddenly._

_The man she aimed the shoe at simply said, "I know that." And he started to walk away._

"_Stop! Kaien-dono, if you walk away… I-I wouldn't be able to forgive you!"_

"_I don't need to be forgiven."_

"_Jerk!!"_

_With one loud scream, she charged forward, wanted to follow the man she had once loved with all her heart. But Renji caught her in time, stopping her roughly with his body._

"_Get out of my way, I want to kill him!"_

"_I'm sorry, miss. I will not tolerate violence."_

_She squirmed in his tight grip, trying to knock him over and pushed her way through. "Let me go!"_

_For someone so small, she was unbelievably strong. Renji tightened his grip on her, causing her to flail helplessly in his arms._

"_Kaien-dono! Come back here, please…"_

_She watched broken-heartedly as Kaien continued to walk away. "Jerk! Come back here and face me!"_

_Kaien turned around and there was no regrets at all expressed on his face. At least, Renji could see none. Then, he pointed his finger at the woman thrashing around in Renji's deadly grip. "I'd better not hear anything from you. Or I'll press charge."_

"_You jerk!!"_

_He walked away, leaving her behind in Renji's grasp. The small woman stopped thrashing and Renji released her slowly, afraid that she would run after Kaien. But she simply collapsed on the floor again and cried. Tears streaming down her cheeks, causing Renji to pity her even more._

"_Stop crying, he's not worth it," he whispered._

"_I loved him so much… How could he hurt me?"_

_Renji kneeled beside her and caught her in his arms again, only this time it was in a calming embrace, and began rocking her, trying to stop her tears as he had done with Orihime time and time again._

"_How could he…?" she mumbled as she cried in his chest._

"_Shhh…"_

:

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:

_Yes, when there are women, there are bound to be dramas_.

And living his life around women, Renji knew they could be really annoying at times. Well, except for _one woman_.

"Come to think about it, why hasn't Orihime returned home?" he asked himself.

As if an answer to his question, there was a knock on the door.

Feeling odd, he quickly got up and went to open the door, hoping it was Orihime but doubting it was her since she never forgot to bring her keys whenever she went out.

He swung the door open, and sure enough, it wasn't her standing there.

"Oh, it's _you_."

* * * * *

Kurosaki Ichigo watched intently as the young woman before the altar prayed. She had removed the hood covering her head, revealing her long, luscious auburn locks. They seemed to shine in the dim lighting of the old church.

"_Beautiful_," he muttered softly.

He continued to watch her silently, slowly getting more and more captivated by her. He had seen, known and met a lot of women, but none of them had managed to make him feel so entranced, and some of them were really sexy and beautiful. But this young woman, _this young woman before him_, who covered her entire body in thick clothing and even though he hadn't seen her face, had managed to make him fascinated.

There was something about her presence… She seemed so alive… So… _human_…

The auburn-haired woman stood up suddenly. With one bow at the cross looming above the altar, she turned and began walking towards the door. _She walked gracefully, _he thought as his intense gaze followed her every steps.

A few steps before reaching the door, she stopped and turned her body to face the altar, and bowed slowly. When she turned around again and reached for the door handle, that was when Kurosaki Ichigo started to panic.

_This cannot end this way… I have to at least know who she is…_

"You know, young girls shouldn't wander around in the middle of the night."

Startled by his voice, she spun around, trying to find out where it was coming from.

"I'm up here," he called out to here.

She looked up, and his eyes caught sight of her large gray eyes. They were wide with shock, and he had never seen anything so cute.

He felt the corner of his mouth curling upwards, forming a small smile. He jumped on the rail, and then jumped down the balcony, landing effortlessly in front of the shocked woman. Her eyes widened even more, and Kurosaki Ichigo almost laughed aloud at the sight before him. She looked so funny standing there absolutely dumbfounded, with her hand stopped midair, inches away from the door handle and her eyes were as wide as they can get.

He strode closer to her, and as impossible as it seemed, her eyes managed to get _even wider_ with his every steps. As he got closer, he marveled at how beautiful she was up close.

She was tall for a woman. She had a fair, flawless skin and lips so soft and plump they made him wonder what it would feel like to kiss her. And he could tell that she had a nice figure, even her thick black jacket and simple blue jeans couldn't hide that fact from his roaming eyes.

Suddenly feeling insecure under his intense gaze, the woman clutched her folder tightly in front of her chest, blocking Ichigo from a pleasant sight.

"You know, you should never just barge in next time. I was napping up there when you came in, and the noises you made disturbed my pleasant slumber."

"I-I'm sorry…" she stuttered.

Ichigo couldn't hold it in anymore. He laughed. He never expected such reaction from her.

Face reddened, she seemed to realize what she just done, "Why am I apologizing anyway? This is a church! People has right to walk into a church whenever they wanted to."

Ichigo stopped laughing, but the amusement never left him.

"And what were _you_ doing sleeping in a church anyway? Don't you have anywhere else to sleep?"

"I just like it in here. It's calming," then, he leaned closer towards her, "In case you're wondering, I do have a home. I can take you there if you want to."

Her face reddened even more, now with anger. "Shut up!"

Ichigo laughed again. "I'm sorry."

Her expressions changed. Now she's confused. He noticed that she was clutching her folder even tighter.

"I mean, I'm sorry that I startled you." After a pause, he added, "You're so easy to tease though."

Her face went red again. Ichigo never thought anyone could blush as much as she did.

"I'm sorry if I disturbed you too."

"Nah, I wasn't sleeping, just relaxing."

"Seriously, why were you up there?" Cautiously, she added, "Even if you were sleeping, why do you have to do it _up there_? You startled me."

"I just happen to like high places."

Silence enveloped them.

Then, out of the blue she blurted, "I think the church is very calming too."

They were both startled by what she said. Ichigo didn't know what to response, and the woman in front of him mentally cursed herself for saying that statement out loud.

Ichigo cleared his throat, "Really, you shouldn't be out at this hour. At night, things could be… _dangerous_."

The young woman smiled sadly, "I'm not afraid. There is nothing more to fear than death." Then, she whispered, "_And I've known death…_"

"What?"

She shook her head, probably realizing she had blurted something out unintentionally, for the _second_ time. _This woman is weird_, Ichigo thought.

"I should get going," she said, and reached for the door.

Ichigo watched as she pushed the heavy oak door, but failed. She tucked the folder she was holding under her left arm, and pushed again, but failed. She cursed inwardly. She managed to open the door earlier, so why is it giving her a hard time _now_?

"Let me do it."

Ichigo stepped next to her, startling her so much that she dropped her folder, and pushed the door with one hand. The door swung open easily, followed by a gust of wind bursting through, causing her long hair to flow softly. But the wind managed to flip open her folder, scattering papers around.

"I'm sorry," Ichigo said and began to help her collecting the papers.

He bent, picked up one of them, turned it over and the photocopied picture disturbed him somehow.

"What is this for?" he asked, standing up straight abruptly.

She eyed the paper in his hand, "Assignment."

"You're researching about werewolves for your assignment?"

Snatching the paper away from him, she said, "Werewolves fascinate me."

"They are dangerous creatures."

"No. They're not."

"They are known to kill people for the thrill of it."

She simply stared at him and said firmly, "No, they don't. Werewolves don't kill if they don't have to. And unlike told by legends, they happen to be gentle creatures."

"You don't know that."

"I know."

She rearranged the papers into the folder and stepped outside. "Goodbye."

Ichigo, who find her amusing reactions more and more dumbfounding, seemed to snap out of a trance as he saw her walking away.

"Wait!"

Turning around, she smiled at him. It was a smile so breathtakingly sweet that he almost forgot what he wanted to ask her.

"You could at least tell me your name!"

"No!"

Not knowing anything else to say, he pleaded, "Please…?"

She laughed, and pretended to consider things a bit. Then, she asked, "Do you like chocolate?"

"What?"

"Do you like chocolate?"

"Yes… I guess so."

"Then, find me yourself."

"What?"

Laughing even more, she waved at him and began running away. Surprisingly, she was a fast runner and disappeared quickly from his sight.

He wanted to follow her, to chase after her, but then decided against it.

He was going to get to know her, but he was going to take it one at a time.

* * * * *

Inoue Orihime continued running. It started to rain lightly and she wanted to get home as fast as she can. She had never been out this late and she knew Renji wasn't going to like it if he found out. The last thing she wanted was getting into a fight with him.

Her steps halted when she reached her house. She let out a sigh of relief and started unlocking the gate. The dark house indicated that everyone else was already fast asleep, which mean that she wouldn't have to answer to anyone. Not right away, at least.

She locked the gate, ran towards the door, unlocked the door and stepped inside the house. She closed the door carefully and twisted the key slowly, before she started tiptoeing towards the stairs.

But the sight of the tall red-haired man asleep on the sofa stopped her in her tracks. Knowing him, he'd probably worried that she wasn't home and waited for her.

"Onii-chan?"

At the sound of the voice, Renji opened his eyes, and his gaze fell on her.

There she was, the person he'd been so worried about all night. Her auburn hair was damp, a result from walking outside under the rain. And he could see her shivering as well.

Not liking what he saw, he quickly got up, swaggered a bit as a result from standing up so abruptly. Ignoring the steady thud in his head, he walked to the bathroom and grabbed a towel. She was still standing at the same spot when he returned.

He handed her the towel, "Here, get yourself dried."

Wordlessly, she grabbed the towel from Renji's hand and started rubbing them on her hair.

"What are you doing, still up at this hour?"

"I was waiting for you."

"Onii-chan…"

"Where have you been? I thought you didn't have class today."

"I had a meeting at the library, for my group assignment."

"The library was closed hours ago."

"We went to get something to eat afterwards," then, hesitatingly, she added, "Then I went to the church."

Renji almost smacked his head. How could he be so stupid? It was _the anniversary_. _Sora's death_. Orihime always went to the church to pray on her brother's death anniversary. Her blood brother. _Her real onii-chan…_ Renji had always accompanied her to the church every morning on Sora's death anniversary, but having received the emergency call early in the morning, he had forgotten all about it. He had wanted to lecture her about being late but the guilt he felt was so overwhelming that his intention merely disappeared.

"Onii-chan, I'm sorry…"

He flashed her a tight smile. He should be the one apologizing, but Orihime is Orihime, always putting everyone else before her.

"I have an early class tomorrow, I should go to bed now."

"Make sure you wash your hair before you do. I don't want you to catch a cold."

"Okay, Onii-chan… Goodnight…"

"Goodnight…"

She had begun walking up the stairs when he realized he forgot to tell her something.

"Orihime," he called out to her.

"Yes, Onii-chan?"

"Ulquiorra stopped by earlier."

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_One day we'll meet each other…_

_And it will be a meeting…_

_That we both would never forget…_

_**A meeting we'd never forget…**_


	3. ACT III : Save Me

**Author's Note : **I'm really really sorry for this late update. I'd got the chapter done last week but there seemed to be some problems with my Internet connection so I couldn't upload this chapter. I would also like to apologize in advance because I won't be able to update my stories until early January since I'm going to head back to my hometown for Christmas holiday, where Internet connection is practically nonexistent.

And for all you lovely people who read and reviewed my story, thank you so so much!! *hugs* After all, for a writer, there's nothing greater than having his/her story loved and appreciated by other people.

No IchiHime in this chapter, sorry, but I do answer questions people has about Ulquiorra in here! XD

And that last scene, I swear, I didn't intended it to turn that way. It just happened and I like it just how it is. Hope you guys like it too!

So, Dear Readers, hope you enjoy this chapter, and review please if you have time!! =]

**Disclaimer :** I don't own Bleach.

* * *

_**If I asked you to follow me…**_

_**Would you just reach out your hands and say yes?**_

_**If I told you things would get better …**_

_**Would you trust me?**_

_**If I told you I would get you through it all…**_

_**Would you smile back at me?**_

_**If I told you I would die for you…**_

_**Would you do the same for me?**_

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_Ulquiorra Cifer._

She'd first met him 16 years ago.

She'd first met him when she was 5.

Back when she was still an innocent, trusting child.

It was then that she'd first felt pain.

It was then that she'd first faced death.

* * * * *

"_Onii-chan, wait for me!"_

_The small, auburn-haired girl ran clumsily. Her hair, it was much shorter then, flowed softly behind her. She had tripped and fell several times, but she got up and continued running. There were few bruises and scratches on her arms and legs, results from those falls. Her cute face was smeared with dirt and her legs had started to feel heavier, but she ignored them all._

_Because she had one goal._

_Looking straight forward, she quickened her steps, wanting to catch up to the laughing red-haired boy running up ahead._

_The boy stopped suddenly and turned his head to look at her and waved. "Hurry up, Orihime!"_

_They had been playing at the park, when Renji got bored and decided to go play inside the woods instead. At first, Orihime had pouted and told him, "Mama's going to be mad". But when he said, "I'm going anyway" and started walking away, she'd shouted for him to wait and immediately followed him._

_Now they were deep inside the thick woods. Deeper than Renji himself had ever been before. The adults had strictly instructed them children to never set their foot into the woods at the edge of the town. But, being a stubborn child that he was, Renji had went into the woods a few times before to catch butterflies and some times, he'd climbed up in trees and listened to the sound of birds. They sang beautifully and he liked them._

_Back at school, Renji never made friends. The kids at school usually teased him about his unusual red hair, and the fact that he was raised by a single mother seemed to be something they enjoyed making fun of. Once, a kid had called his mother "a whore", a word he'd known as one of the 'bad words', and he'd punched him. He'd punched that kid so hard until his nose bleed._

_That night, his mother had scolded him and locked him up in his bedroom, refusing to feed him dinner._

_But then, sweet, sweet little Orihime had came up knocking on his door, bringing along some chocolate cookies she'd smuggled from the kitchen. _

_True, he didn't have many friends then. But he didn't need any of them. Only one was enough. He needed only Orihime. He needed only his little sister. He didn't care that when other boys got to play football together, he played hide and seek with his little sister._

_Yes, Abarai Renji had always been a tough kid. And one who feared nothing at all._

_Or so he thought, before that dreadful accident happened._

* * * * *

"_Onii-chan!" Orihime called out again._

_She had lost sight of her brother. He was seven years older than her. He was far stronger, and he ran faster. He'd left her behind, and she started to feel scared, standing there deep in the woods, alone._

_She looked around, but there was still no sight of that red-haired boy._

"_Onii~!"_

"_Hey, Orihime!"_

_Delighted by the sound of her brother's voice, she spun around to look at the direction of that voice, and her large gray eyes spotted Renji, up there on a tree._

_She called out happily to him, "Onii-chan!" _

_Renji smiled down at her, "Come up here, it's fun!"_

_Her smile faded, "B-but Onii-chan! I can't climb."_

"_Of course you can. Anyone can climb. It's natural. You're just too scared."_

"_I'm not!"_

"_You are."_

"_I'm not!"_

"_Little Orihime's scared."_

"_Stop it!"_

"_Orihimi is scaaared… Hime's a scaredy-caaaat…!" Renji began singing teasingly._

"_I said I'm not!"_

_With that one angry shout, Orihime walked towards the tree her brother was on, and wrapped her small arms around its large trunk and started to climb. Slowly, she heaved herself up the large tree, inch by inch, until, to her own surprise, she almost reached Renji's resting place._

_Renji watched her, a big grin on his face, secretly proud of his little sister being able to climb. She was as tough as any other boy, he'd thought. In turn, she smiled back at him. But the smile didn't last long when her small leg suddenly slipped. She lost her balance and fell, screaming._

_Renji stared, wide-eyed, unable to move, unable to do anything. He winced as her small body landed on the ground with a heavy thud. And she just kept screaming that damn bloodcurdling scream, which did nothing to calm his rapidly beating heart._

"_I'm coming, I'm coming," he called out desperately to her as he hurriedly climbed down the tree. His hands were shaking. He was scared, deeply scared of what he about to see down there._

_Boy, was he right._

_Orihime had landed on her right side, and Renji could see her right hand oddly twisted under her small body and her right leg, oh God, he could see blood gushing from her wound. There were dead trunks and dried twigs scattered on the ground, and Orihime's legs had unfortunately made contact with the protruding trunks when she fell. _

_It's bad. It's really bad._

"_Onii-chan…" she croaked, her voice hoarse from all that screaming, her visions started to get blurry. "Onii-chan… It… It hurts…"_

_Renji licked his dry mouth. He was nervous, and he was scared as hell. _What do I do? Oh God, oh God, oh God… What do I do?

"_Onii-chan… Help me…"_

_His mind went into an overdrive, trying to figure out ways to help her. To save her. He couldn't carry her. She might be small, but for a young boy like him, it wouldn't be easy to carry her through the thick woods. Besides, he had once watched on TV that you shouldn't move injured people, because there might be broken bones, which in turn could cause internal injuries if the victim weren't moved in the proper way. And that would definitely be bad. There's only one solution, but…_

_Renji bent over her, and with shaking hands, wiped away the strands of hair, wet with sweats, strewn all across her face. "Orihime…"_

_She moved her head, trying to look at him, but grimaced when she felt a sharp pain in her right leg._

"_Orihime, listen to me… I'm going back to get help… But I'll have to leave you here…"_

"_No. No. No… Onii-chan… Please don't leave me here. I'm scared…"_

"_It won't be long…"_

"_No… Please…"_

"_I promise…"_

"_No… Don't leave me…" she sobbed. She didn't want to be left alone in the middle of nowhere. It was getting late, she knew, and she didn't want to be alone in the dark. She's heard stories about the jungle. Mama had told her about the fierce animals that existed inside the jungle. "No…"_

_Ignoring her pleadings, he got up and muttered, "I'm sorry…" With one last glance at her, he ran towards the town._

"_Onii-chan… Please, don't leave me…"_

_And she lied there, on the ground, crying. In pain. Alone…_

* * * * *

_Renji ran non-stop. He'd tripped and fell several times, his clothes were torn, and this time, he was the one suffering from the bruises and scratches all over his hands and legs. His heart felt like they almost burst in his chest, but he ignored the pain. Orihime was waiting for him, counting on him to save her, so he must be quick._

_He ran, ignoring the stares people gave him as he passed them on the street. He ran, until he reached their house and went straight in, shouting frantically for his mother._

_A very young Matsumoto Rangiku, was preparing for dinner, humming a happy tune to herself, when her son suddenly came in stumbling into the kitchen in a state of disarray._

"_Renji?"_

_He bent over, hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath._

_Rangiku dropped the ladle she was holding, and rushed over to Renji's side, a look of concern flooded her beautiful face._

"_Renji. What's wrong?"_

"_Orihime…"_

_Rangiku started to panic, _please, don't tell me something bad is happening to Orihime_, and grabbed Renji's shoulders, forcing him to face her._

"_What happened?"_

"_Orihime. Injured. In the woods…"_

"_What?!"_

_To Rangiku's surprise, Renji started to cry. "Mama, I'm sorry…"_

_Rangiku flashed an angry look at his son, which caused Renji's tears to flow even more, then went to turn off the stove before she grabbed her son's hand, pulling him roughly behind her._

"_I'm going to decide your punishment later. But first, show me where Orihime is," she told him, her voice stern._

_Renji wiped his tears and nodded, not that his mother saw him doing that, and followed her silently as she dragged him across the town into the woods._

_Rangiku released her dead grip on Renji's hand once they reached the woods. "Bring me to her."_

_And together they went into the woods, walking as fast as they can. Renji was too tired to run anymore, and for Rangiku, it was too hard for her to run inside the thick woods. They both prayed silently that they would find Orihime, safe and sound._

_But they did not._

_Orihime was not there. They had reached the spot where she fell and Renji had left her there. "She was here! I swear!" Renji told his mother._

_But the auburn-haired little girl was not there. She was not there anymore._

* * * * *

_Orihime opened her eyes. For a moment, her mind couldn't register what had happened and why she was there, in an unfamiliar surrounding. Then she started to feel a steady throbbing in her right leg, and it all came back to her. She remembered how she'd fell from the tree, injured herself, and was left alone by her brother who'd went to fetch help._

_She had passed out. Maybe it was because she's scared. Maybe it was because of the pain, she didn't know. _But this place, this… is not where he left me!

_She started panicking, her gray eyes widen and began to look all around her. She was in some kind of cave, and she could feel its coldness creeping up her bones. How did I get here?_

_It was starting to get dark outside and she hoped that it was some kind human being who had found her lying unconscious in the woods and carried her into the cave to protect her from fierce animals out there. Then suddenly, a shadow loomed over her. Someone had arrived inside the cave. Or something…_

_Her breath was caught in her throat. There, standing before her, was a huge wolf, its size two times bigger than the wolves she normally saw in TV. She gasped and it looked straight at her with piercing emerald eyes, and those eyes, oddly, to her, almost felt like they were human's._

_She tried to move, wanted to run away, to get away as far as she could from the large beast in front of her. She'd heard that wolves kill people and this one, judging by its enormous size, could easily kill her. _Wait, was it the wolf that brought her into this cave. If it did, why? So it could kill me in its home and eat me without intrusions? Oh God, no… Onii-chan, please… Hurry up… Hurry up and save me… Please…

_The wolf walked closer to her, she could hear its heavy breathing now, and in the tiniest red ray of the evening sun, shining from outside the cave, she could see that it was, somehow, a very beautiful creature. Its furs, as white as snow falling in the middle of the winter, long and thick, and she was sure if she touch it, it would feel as smooth and soft as it looked. It had a round, black nose, which strangely made her think of snowmen, like the ones she used to make with Renji. But the most striking feature it has was the piercing emerald eyes. They were the most beautiful pair of eyes she had ever seen. She was very scared, yet oddly fascinated by the beast at the same time._

_The wolf moved another step. Now, it was above her. Its piercing eyes gazed into her fear-stricken ones. _It is going to kill me. It wanted to eat me_, she thought, closing her eyes and prayed that someone would come and save her from the terrifying wolf._

_She heard it growl, and winced as she braced herself for the feel of sharp teeth sinking through her flesh. But then she felt something warm and wet on her wound. _It's… It's licking my wound?_ Slowly, she squinted her eyes open and saw the most amazing thing. The wolf, the beast she had often thought as a merciless killer, was licking on her wound, as if it was trying to heal her._

"_Why?"_

_Hearing her voice, the wolf stopped licking and turned. To her surprise, it began to nuzzle its wet nose into the slope of her neck, and she giggled. The pain she felt in her leg had subsided a bit, maybe it was because of the licking, she didn't know, but the wolf's presence had certainly made her feel at ease. She reached out her left hand, her right one still lay unmoving beside her, and touched its head, rubbing it softly before she started playing with its ears. The beast, in turn, let out a pleased growl._

"_Can I keep you? I've always wanted a dog… But Mama just wouldn't let me have one."_

_The white wolf let out another soft growl, as if to answer her and she laughed, because if it could speak, it had definitely meant to say a "No!" to her. _Mama wouldn't want to have a large wolf like you as a pet either_, she thought._

_Then suddenly, the wolf stopped nuzzling her. Its body went stiff. It tilted its head and its ears now stood perking on his head, as if trying to hear something._

"_What is it? What did you hear?" she whispered._

_Another growl came from the wolf, but this time it wasn't the same as the pleased ones she'd heard earlier. It sounded as if it was irritated, alarmed, alerted on something that was approaching them. Whatever it was the wolf heard, it was something the beast didn't like._

"_Wolf… Wolfy…?" she whispered again, but the large creature ignored her calling this time. It stepped away from her, turned and leaped forward into the darkness._

* * * * *

"_Please, sir… Please help my daughter…" Rangiku pleaded to the police officer in charge of the search for Orihime._

_She had gone into the woods with Renji to search for Orihime but to her shock, Orihime wasn't where she'd hoped to find her. Then they had both returned to town, this time running, and went straight to the local police station to alert them and ask for help to search for her. Immediately, the police had started a search party to look for the little girl, with help from the few kind local men._

_Renji couldn't stop crying, telling her how sorry he was. Rangiku wanted to get mad, wanted to scold his son for dragging his little sister into the woods when she'd told him strictly to never go there, and she wanted to scold him for leaving her there even though she knew that there was no better option for him at that moment. Truth was, Rangiku wanted to get mad just because she wanted to drive away the nagging feelings she had that something bad had happened to her beloved little girl. But she was too tired… Simply too tired to even get mad. _

_Crying wouldn't do any good either, so she refused to cry. She had wanted to follow the police officers into the woods but they told her to stay. _It's too dangerous_, they said. _If you want to come with us, do it tomorrow, when the sun was brightly shining and when things were less dangerous inside the woods_, they told her._

_There was nothing left to do beside waiting… Waiting and praying that they would find her… Praying that she would be alright… Wait, patiently…_

* * * * *

_In the dark, inside the hollow, cold cave, Orihime waited, anxiously, for the big, white wolf to return. It sensed danger approaching, she knew, that was why it stormed out of the cave earlier. Strangely, she didn't want anything bad to happen to it. She wanted it to be safe. More than anything, she wanted it to return to her side._

_Hours after it left her, the wolf returned, limping and whimpering in pain. Orihime, who for once in her life was thankful for the bright rays of moonlight shining through into the cave, could see the wolf was wounded. A bullet wound. It was shot. Probably by the hunters, or the poachers her mother had once told her about. _Poachers are bad people. They catch animals, and then cut their skins to get the furs so they could use them to decorate their walls. It was a very cruel thing to do_, Mama had said. And she agreed._

_The injured wolf tried to crawl towards her desperately, but failed. It was weak. It had lost a large amount of blood. Orihime could hear it whimpered and it broke her heart, knowing that there was nothing she could do to help. It laid a few feet away from her, its piercing emerald eyes shining, as if pleading her, telling her that it wanted so much to stay alive._

_Then its body started twitching, softly at first, but then it became more and more violent. "Wolfy…?" Orihime called out worriedly, afraid at the same time, that the kind white wolf would die suddenly in front of her eyes._

_She had never actually seen any living things died. Even though Mama had told her that her blood brother had died and she was there, she couldn't remember that incident. She was an infant then, so she was saved from that gruesome memory, saved from having to see an important being for her died before her own eyes. And this wolf… This wolf, had somehow became important to her… She wouldn't want to see it die. _No, please…

_Suddenly, the twitching stopped, and Orihime saw something unspeakable happened. She saw a transformation. She saw the large beast's form shrunk gradually, its hind legs shifted into a pair of long muscular human legs, and its front legs formed a pair of long hands, human hands. She saw its paws turned into fingers. She saw as the white thick furs disappeared from the wolf's large body, revealing a very human, manly body. She watched, transfixed, as the wolf transformed into a handsome young man, his pale skin a contrast to his black hair that almost reached his shoulder, and he still had the same, piercing, emerald eyes._

_That was her first encounter with a werewolf, a creature she had thought only existed in storybooks._

"_I'm sorry, child… Did I scare you?" the man asked suddenly, reaching out his hand to her, still lying facedown on the ground, naked._

_Startled, Orihime simply looked at him. He was bleeding, unable to move, in pain, but he was still looking at her with eyes full of concern, looking at her with _that_ captivating eyes of his, and she remembered how that man, in his wolf form had licked her wound earlier. _He wouldn't harm me_, she reassured herself, and started to crawl towards him._

_Pain shot up through her as she crawled, but she ignored it. She didn't care if she had caused her bones broken even more. She wanted to be near that man. If any one of them were going to die, they wouldn't die alone. She wanted to make sure they would at least be by each other's side. She was still a small child, and she had acted on pure human instinct._

_Orihime reached the man's side, and she immediately wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her as she rested her back on the cold wall of the cave, ignoring the throbbing pain coursing through her body. The man inched slowly, painfully, until he was able to rest his head uncomfortably in her lap. Orihime wanted to stare into his eyes, hoping that they would be able to give her strength, but his body was too large for her to turn over._

_And although they were both very much aware of his state of undress, they couldn't care less. She was an innocent child, where nudity wasn't a big deal even if she had never saw a naked adult man before, and for him, it was because he was very sure that he would die there in that small child's arms. He was hit by a silver bullet, shot by those damn hunters and he hoped they wouldn't be able to track him._

_And they stayed inside that cave, day and night, in each other's arms, injured, their muscles numb and unable to move, starving to death for three days straight._

_On the third day, both of them were barely breathing, delirious and were both unconscious when they were found._

* * * * *

"_We found them! We found them!"_

_Rangiku rushed outside when she heard noises outside her house. It was late in the evening and she had almost lost all hope to see Orihime again. She was pretty sure that the helpless child would starve to death, if not suffering from pneumonia. _

_She stepped outside and screamed with delight when she caught sight of poor Orihime, in the arms of one young policeman._

"_I-Is… Is she okay?" she stuttered, her voice trembling when she saw Orihime, unconscious, with blood all over her small body._

"_She's fine, Matsumoto-san," the policeman assured her._

"_B-b… But the blood~"_

"_It wasn't hers."_

"_Then whose~"_

_Her words faded when she noticed a man, wrapped in blanket, was being carried towards her house by few other policemen. "Who's that?"_

"_We found him with her. It was his blood on her clothes. They were sheltering inside a cave, which made it hard for us to find as the cave was very well hidden. They were holding each other when we found them. We had to pry them apart. Whoever that man is, I'm sure he'd helped your daughter survive, Matsumoto-san."_

_The policeman never mentioned that the man was found naked._

_Then she heard Renji's voice, who was asleep on the couch earlier, the boy hadn't sleep for days and she'd let him but it seemed all the ruckus outside the house had wakened him up. He was crying loudly, calling out Orihime's name again and again._

"_Bring them both inside. I'll call the doctor," Rangiku told the policeman who obediently went inside as she made a call to the local doctor._

* * * * *

_Miraculously, Orihime and that mysterious man survived the ordeal. Orihime was merely injured, and luckily, her bones weren't broken from that dreadful fall. Even weirder, the man who saved her was healed after two days being treated by the doctor. He'd thanked Rangiku for her kindness when he was about to leave._

"_Thank you very much for your hospitality, Matsumoto-san."_

"_It was nothing. You saved my daughter's life."_

"_No. She saved mine."_

"_Are you sure you want to leave. You can stay for a few days more."_

_He had smiled at her reassuringly. "I heal faster than anyone you know, Matsumoto-san. I'm sure your daughter will tell you who I really am when she regain consciousness."_

_He bowed at Rangiku, and began walking away when she called out to him, "Please, let me know if I can do anything to thank you, sir."_

"_In the future, maybe I will. And please don't call me sir, my name's Ulquiorra. Ulquiorra Cifer."_

"_You can drop by anytime, Ulquiorra-san."_

"_I will."_

* * * * *

_Ulquiorra was right. Orihime had told her mother and brother, the truth about the mysterious man who was found with her. Even though it was the most outrageous story they both had heard, they believed her. And even though Orihime had told them that she had saw Ulquiorra naked, the fact didn't bother them one bit. They were just too glad that she returned to them alive._

_Renji, who had suffered a punishment of having to clean around the house for being an irresponsible brother, had secretly vowed to himself that from that moment on, he would be stronger so that he could protect people he loved. His mother and his little sister. He vowed to get stronger so he wouldn't have to rely on any other men to save them, and seeing the dedicated and brave policemen at work, he'd made up his mind that he wanted to work as a cop when he grow up._

* * * * *

That was how she'd met him.

In the moment of death, they had formed an unbreakable bond. Aside from her family, Ulquiorra was the person Orihime trusted the most.

After that incident, he had visited their place a couple of times over the years. He'd even helped her family when they faced their hardest times. Ulquiorra turned out to be a wealthy young man, an aspiring businessman. He offered money to help expand Rangiku's small chocolate shop, and she accepted. She was reluctant at first, but then Ulquiorra had told her, "Think of it as an investment from me."

Every time he visited, he would ask to see Orihime. He enjoyed her company, and so did she. Throughout the years, they had become even closer friends, and he would often bring her out for dinner. Despite knowing the truth about the man, Rangiku and Renji never doubted that she would be safe with him. After all, Ulquiorra was the man they owed her life to.

And, a month ago, while they were dining on his private yacht, he'd asked for Orihime's hand in marriage.

Rangiku was glad, and Renji approved. Orihime herself was not sure. Ulquiorra had indeed become a very close friend, a friend she'd trusted with her life. She enjoyed his presence, but she was sure he had never made her felt anything like _love_.

"Do you love me, then?" she'd asked him.

He looked at her, his emerald gaze as captivating as ever. "I don't believe in love," he said. "And I don't think it was a necessity in marriage. Marriage is a long-time companionship, and trust is more important than love to keep the companionship strong. And you, Orihime, _you_, I trust you with my life. I trust you with every fiber in my being."

Then he kneeled down in front of her. "And for you, I would gladly die," he declared.

He was right. Their relationship was based solely on trust, and it was something precious to her. As he would die for her, she too, wouldn't hesitate to risk hers. They had formed a deep bond, as they lied inside that cave, in their near-death hours, something unexplainable to other people. But still, she had to be sure.

"How often would you find a good-looking, wealthy man who's willing to pamper you with all the richness in the world? I want you to live well, and I'm sure you'd live well with him, dear. And sometimes, sometimes, being in love just _aren't enough_." Those were Mama Rangiku's words when she'd told her about Ulquiorra's proposal.

"He is the only man I trust. I'm sure he would take care of you," was Renji's answer.

"Oh, Hime… What else were you thinking about? That man is willing to die for you! He might not call that love, but I don't think his willingness to suffer for you can be called something else! Do you need a bigger reason than that to say yes to him?" Arisawa Tatsuki, her best friend had shook her body violently as she said those words, just to make sure Orihime got her points across.

And so, she said yes to him.

She had agreed to marry Ulquiorra Cifer.

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_**Between love and trust, which one would you choose?**_

_**Between calm and chaos, which one would you follow?**_

_**Between coldness and the heat of the fire, which one would you embrace?**_


	4. ACT IV : Of Sketches, Bento & a Dress

**Author's Note :** Dear Readers, I'm really really sorry for the very late update. But there's so much work to do at the beginning of the year. I tried writing whenever I had free time, but my weakness is I can't write unless I'm totally relaxed, and the chapter came out a little forced. So I had to re-read and edited the first draft, and this one here is the finished result! I have a feeling that it wasn't a good as my last chapter, but please read and share with me what you think. I really really appreciate your reviews.

Have a nice day!! XD

**Disclaimer :** I don't own Bleach.

* * *

_**To be who I wish to be…**_

_**To do things I want to be done…**_

_**To achieve everything I longed for…**_

_**Is that possible?**_

_**For me, whose life is not mine to control?**_

_**For me, whose destiny clearly spelled out?**_

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He was obsessed.

For the first time in his very long life, Kurosaki Ichigo became obsessed with a woman. An auburn-haired woman he'd met at the church, a woman who wouldn't even tell him her name.

It had only been a day since he'd met her but he couldn't stop thinking of her. She was practically everywhere. He'd dreamt countless dreams of her in one night, and he kept seeing her face even when he was awake.

Ichigo sat up straight on his bed and ruffled his already messy orange hair. With sleepy legs, he crept out of bed and went to stare out the window, basking in the warmth of the sun, a scowl firmly plastered on his face, which often mistakenly perceived as rudeness or a sign of dislike by people who had just met him. Not that he paid much attention to what other people think of him anyway.

_Except for that woman… I certainly would like to know what she thinks of me… I want to know whether she dreamt of me last night, just like I did…_

_This has got to stop_, he said to himself. He's got a reputation to keep, and should his friends know he was obsessing over that mysterious beauty, they would never let him live it down.

Then he heard something. Familiar voices. Down in the hallway. _Speaking of the devils…_

_Oh shit! _Ichigo eyed the scattered papers all around his bedroom. He had forgotten all about _that_. He had been sketching faces of that auburn-haired beauty he every time images of her invaded his mind. _If his friends saw this…_

"IIIIIIIII….!!!!"

_Holy crap! _Ichigo threw himself on the floor and grunted when his body made contact with the hard floor.

"CHIIIIII…!!!!"

Ichigo's veins pulsed.

"GOOOOOO!!!!"

_No!_ His hands were now frantically gathering the papers on the floor. _Shit! Did I really draw this much sketches of her?_

"ICHIGO! ICHIGO! ICHIGO!! ICHIGO! ICHIGO! ICHIGO!!!"

Panicking, he quickly rolled the papers in his hands._ I'm doomed…_

Someone came bursting through the door and made a dash towards him.

Ichigo, noticing the blob of brown hair making a way towards him, stepped away at the last minute, causing the shadow to trip on the remaining papers on the floor and fell forward with a heavy thud.

"You're MEAN!! Why did you avoid me!!?"

"Who would be stupid enough NOT to avoid you!?" Ichigo snapped, causing the brown-haired man to suddenly shed tears.

"Why? Ichigo, I thought we're best buddies…"

Ignoring the crying man on the floor, Ichigo returned his gaze towards the door as another man, a small man with dark black hair entered, and smiled as he greeted him, "Good morning, Ichigo."

Following him closely was a very tall, large, dark-skinned young man with disheveled brown hair that covered his eyes, who merely nodded at Ichigo and muttered a simple, "Yo!"

A small smile began to form on Ichigo's previously scowling face, evidently pleased to see the three men. They were his best friends, whom he'd known them ever since he was a child. They grew up together and their relationship was more of brothers' than that of friends'.

Kojima Mizuiro was the smallest of the lot. Well-groomed, soft-spoken, and always smiling kindly, with a charming personality to match, was popular with the ladies. He enjoyed the attention he got from the opposite sex and would often brag about it, just so he could annoy Asano Keigo.

Keigo was the one who rushed towards Ichigo earlier. To his friends, he was a perverted, oversexed young man. He was always trying to impress the ladies and he got overexcited over any females with, um…, _generous upper-body assets_. He was one of those guys who appeared funny even without even trying, famous for pulling crazy antics, he overreacted and whined over small matters, and might seemed cowardice at times. As annoying as he can be at times, Ichigo wouldn't trade him for any other person, for he had demonstrated his endless loyalty and had been Ichigo's constant source of support, along with the other two men.

However, amongst the three of them, Sado Yasutora was the closest to Ichigo, the one he seek first whenever he had the need to talk to someone. Quiet and observant, calm yet strong, the large man was the gentlest creature Ichigo had ever known. Despite his outwardly bestial appearance, he had the softest heart and he was crazy over small, cute and cuddly things, which sometimes seemed quite weird to Ichigo.

But no matter how weird they might be, they were the ones who mattered to him most in the world.

Keigo, who had stopped crying, was looking intently at the papers scattered over the floor. He knew that Ichigo always loved drawing. But he'd never seen, hell, he'd never expected that Ichigo would draw a… _woman?_ _And there were so MANY sketches of her… Bet those papers in his hand were of her too… Hm…_

"So this was why you refused to hang out with us lately?"

"What!?" _Shit! I totally forgot!_ "No, Of course not! I just didn't fell like going out." Suddenly feeling uneasy when he saw his friend eyeing the drawings, Ichigo blurted without thinking, "Keigo, put that down! I don't want your dirty hands to smear my drawings."

"That's not a nice thing to say! By the way, what IS this?" Keigo held up a sketch.

Mizuiro, who had gained interest in the drawings picked one up and began scrutinizing it. "Hm… Not bad. Could it be that you're…"

"~not gay?" Chad finished for him, causing Ichigo to choke on his own saliva. The usually quiet large man was holding _yet_ another sketch. _How much of those sketches did I draw anyway?_

"THE HELL!!? Of course I'm not gay! Why would you think I am? And you! Chad, I can't believe you think of me that way!"

Mizuiro shrugged his shoulder and replied nonchalantly, "It's just that, you never showed any interest in the opposite sex before."

"And all those times those girls with amazing boobs chasing after you, you would just ignore them! If you're not gay, then you must be blind! GAHH!!"

Ichigo's fist had landed on Keigo's face. "Idiot! It's just that I'm not as sex-crazed as you are!"

"Anyway, this is a nice development. Who is this girl? Is she a model?"

"I don't know."

"If anything, I'm glad that she caught your eyes. She's quite a looker. I would date her if you don't."

"Mizuiro! Don't you dare!"

"Ah… Possessive, aren't we?" Mizuiro teased, raising an eyebrow.

Ichigo blushed, causing his friends to exchange looks. They never knew that orange-haired idiot _could_ blush.

"Anyway, I've never seen this one around." Turning his eyes towards Keigo, Mizuiro asked, "Have you, Keigo?"

"No. A goddess with a rack like that would never escaped my keen eyes."

"Don't you mean your PERVERTED eyes?"

"Ichigo! You misjudged me! You hurt my feelings…" Keigo's tears almost fell out again. "Is it so wrong to appreciate the beauty of human anatomy? I'm a normal, healthy man…"

For the second time, his friends simply ignored him. Mizuiro averted his gaze towards his orange-haired friend. "Is she one of us?"

"I don't know."

"Be careful, Ichigo. And remember, never got involved with _them_. It's too complicated. You should have learned that from _her_."

"I know."

Mizuiro flashed Ichigo an assuring smile. "She's really beautiful though."

Chad muttered an agreement and flashed an okay sign with his thumb, smiling, causing Ichigo to smile back.

"Don't you think I already knew that?"

Yes, she was the most beautiful woman he had seen, and he had seen many in his lifetime, but none had kept him hooked like that. He had never been in any romantic relationship with women, perhaps because he found them uninteresting, unlike her. There was something so captivating, so attractive about her. Maybe it's the warmth radiating from her smile, he wasn't quite sure. And her scent… To him, she smelled like a nice person. And he was glad his friends like her… _wait, his friends_…?

"Come to think about it, what are you guys doing here?"

"It's just that we missed you, Ichigo!" came Keigo's reply, causing yet another fist to land on his face, and this time it was Mizuiro's.

"Your uncle told us to come."

"Yeah, he wanted you to come with us and attend a party," Mizuiro elaborated on Chad's words. "It was held by _the others_."

Ichigo sighed. Attending social events weren't exactly his thing, and he never cared who hosted that damn thing. "I don't want to."

"Aww… Come on, we'd get to meet some hot, big-breasted beauty." Then, almost as an afterthought, Keigo added, "I might get lucky this time."

"Yeah, you wish."

"This sort of activity is necessary for you to learn. After all, you're our future leader," Mizuiro pressed on.

"Shut up! I said I don't want to!"

"Ichigo…"

"ENOUGH!!"

Silence engulfed the room.

Mizuiro bowed, realizing that Ichigo might get mad if he pushed the matter further. "I apologize for my disrespectful manner."

Chad, realizing the tension riding in the air, opened his mouth and said calmly. "Ichigo, you know that he's just thinking for your sake."

Ichigo exhaled deeply. It's just that he hated to be reminded of the burdens he had to bear and of the future paved clearly ahead of him. "I know. I'm sorry…"

"Well, it doesn't matter then. We'll just do another fun thing!"

"WHAT?" Everyone asked simultaneously, glaring at Keigo.

"We can hit on chicks! Make it a competition between us, just like that TV show and find out, who, among us is the best when it comes to picking up the ladies. Then we can invite them all to come over and have an amazing party of our own!"

Ichigo and Mizuiro groaned. Chad merely smirked. Trust Keigo to lighten up the atmosphere whenever it got too thick.

"Never suggest a game that you would surely lose, Keigo," Chad remarked coldly, causing everyone, including Keigo himself, to burst out laughing.

"Or… Hey, Ichigo. Why don't you tell us about your girlfriend?"

Reddened, Ichigo retorted, "She's not my girlfriend! And honestly, I don't know anything at all about her…"

"Really?"

Yes, he didn't know anything about her, and he's dying to know her, to see her again, to get close to her, to spend times with her… But how was he supposed to do that? She's said to find her himself, and the only clue she gave him was chocolate. _Hmm… Chocolate… Chocolate… Whatever could THAT mean?_

* * * * *

For someone unfamiliar with its surroundings, the morgue could be a very uncomfortable, even a scary place to be in. It was a dark, cold, and an eerily quiet place. Renji himself had always disliked being in the morgue, but it wasn't because he's scared or anything, it's merely because of the atmosphere inside the morgue. It reeked with air of lifelessness, and Renji hated that.

But of course, being a man of the law and all that, he could never avoid going there. Which is exactly why he was inside that damn place, eyes staring involuntarily at the lifeless body that was yet to be identified.

Averting his gaze away from the body, he turned to look at the man beside him, clad in a white lab coat. "What have you find out so far?"

Hisagi cleared his throat, "Well, we've confirmed that the wounds discovered on the victim weren't inflicted by tools or using any sort of weapons."

"In other words..."

"I don't know how the killer did it, but it was most likely done using his bare hands."

"Is that possible? I mean, I saw the wounds and there is no way that can be done by human beings~"

"Unless they have claws, yes."

"Claws?" Renji stared at Hisagi as if he had suddenly sprout two heads.

"Yes, claws. Unimaginably long and large, sharp claws. That's the only possible explanation I can come up with right now. However, like you said, it's impossible for humans to deliver those fatal wounds, claws or no claws. Unless your claws were like those of Wolverine's."

"Is it caused by animals, then?"

It's a possible explanation. Though the killings seemed to be premeditated and carefully executed even if the crime scenes turned out to be quite a mess, so I don't know if it's done by an animal after all. Besides, don't you think we'd already have reports regarding wild animals running around if there really IS one?"

"No prints, no DNA traces from the killer?"

"Nope."

"Victim's identity?"

"My assistant's still working on that."

"Which means you guys still have no idea at all regarding this case."

"Sadly, yes."

Renji sighed and glanced again at the still body laid upon the chilled morgue table. _Poor soul_, he thought.

"I'm sorry, Renji."

Startled, Renji inhaled deeply. He seldom got carried away like that. But somehow this case had gotten on his nerves. He had a nagging feeling that whoever did those killings, it wasn't done for vengeance or other motives. Whoever did it, it was simply done for fun. _Killing for fun… Geez, who the hell could have done that_?

"It's okay, Hisagi _senpai_. I'm merely thinking of what kind of a heartless person could do all this."

"Don't let yourself affected by it. I know that by far, this is our most baffling case and the cruelest one at that, but remember, to catch the killer, you have to remain objective. The deeper you're emotionally affected, the less clearer you'll be able to think, which could be an advantage for the killer, or killers."

"I know," Renji flashed a weak smile at Hisagi. "Thanks."

Hisagi smiled back. Despite his rough outward appearance, Renji was a very kind person. "Hey, about that offer for dinner. Is it still open?"

"What?" Then, remembering their conversation on the day they discovered the body, Renji quickly added, "Oh, of course, I'll just tell mother to cook extra for dinner tomorrow."

"Hm... I've always enjoyed your mother's cooking."

"Good. Just stop by at 8~"

Renji's words stop midair, as the morgue door suddenly burst open and a small, short-haired blonde woman, dressed in an outfit similar to Hisagi's, looking all flushed and nervous, popped her head in. "I'm sorry to disturb you, Hisagi-san, but someone's here to see Abarai-san." Then, addressing Renji, she added, "I told her you're busy and to come by later, or maybe call first but she refused to go."

_Whoever could that be?_ "It's okay, we're done anyway. _Senpai_, don't forget dinner tomorrow."

Waving his hand once, Renji began following the flushed girl and who walked towards the office. Hisagi's assistant, Kotetsu Kiyone, pushed open the office door and held it so Renji could look inside. As soon as he saw the person waiting for him, his jaw almost dropped. "You!!"

The small, black-haired woman looked up, and her violet eyes widened when she caught sight of Renji. She smiled brightly at him and, to Renji's annoyance, waved her hands enthusiastically.

"Abarai-san! It's so nice to see you again!" she called out to him in an oddly high-pitched voice.

Renji cringed. His eyebrows twitched. _What the hell is she doing here? _He turned, and noticed the lab assistant girl looking at him, slightly confused. Her eyes darted back and forth between Renji and the woman on the sofa. Renji sighed, _they obviously didn't get much visitor around here_. "Kotetsu-san, it's okay, I know her," he said, forcing a reassuring smile. The girl in turn nodded and relaxed a little. However, her expression changed again when she saw Renji grabbed the raven-haired woman's arm and dragged her outside the building.

"Ow! Ow! Let go of me! That's not a nice thing to do, Abarai-san!"

"What the hell are you doing here?" Renji blurted harshly, ignoring her complaints.

"Nothing."

Renji tightened his grip on her, causing her to scream again. They were standing by the road now. A few people passing by turned to look at them, hearing her screams, but quickly walked away, scared by Renji's death glare.

"Stop doing that! Geez, I don't know how you could be a cop. You act more like a criminal, that's for sure."

Renji was about to snap at her but stopped when he noticed changes on her arm, or specifically, the area where he grabbed her had turned white. He quickly released her and guilt swept over him as he watched color returned to her arms.

Rubbing her arms, the woman told him, "I came here to thank you."

"There's no need. I was merely performing my duty."

"You're being too kind, Abarai-san."

"Quit acting all sweet and innocence. I saw you at your worst moment, and I know that you're not the ladylike type. Hell, you even cursed more than I usually did last night. So there's absolutely no need to control yourself while around me. Besides, seeing you acting like that just gives me the creeps."

"I was just trying to be nice to someone who helped me." The petite woman shrugged her shoulder, "Whatever. I brought you lunch."

For the first time since he saw her at the office, Renji noticed she was holding something in her hand, wrapped neatly with a _furoshiki _cloth. Come to think about it, he hadn't eaten at all since morning, he'd woken up late and missed breakfast.

"I'm not hungry," he told her, but almost as soon, just like a cruel joke, his stomach gave out a low, grumbling sound, contradicting his earlier statement.

The woman in front of him, who at first was startled by the sound, cupped her mouth and began laughing hysterically, causing Renji to turn red.

"Shut up!"

Wiping her tears away, a result from her laughing like a mad woman, she managed to blurt out, "I'm sorry."

Renji stood in silence. He had never embarrassed himself like this, especially not in front of the female species.

"You stop being so goddamn stupid, Renji. You're hungry."

"Okay," Renji agreed, scratching his head awkwardly.

Seeing his uneasiness, the petite woman almost burst out into a giggling fit yet again, but managed to control herself. She walked over to the bench just by the road and plopped herself down lightly. Then she motioned Renji to come over and sit beside her. The man in turn followed obediently.

She handed over the small bundle in her hand to Renji who accepted it quietly, his face still red and burning with shame. "Go on, open it," she told him as she watched him unwrapping the _furoshiki_ cloth, revealing a lunchbox.

Renji opened the box as instructed, but his jaw dropped when he saw the content. "What on earth's name is this?"

"What? It's just _bento_."

"Well, it looks _weird_. The _onigiri_, I mean."

"What? Don't you dare insult me, or my cooking! I spent hours in the kitchen to make that damn thing!"

Renji pulled out an _onigiri_ from the box and held it up. "I'm not stupid. This is not what a _normal_ _onigiri_ look like."

The rice ball was shaped like a human's head, unlike its usual triangular shape, and instead of wrapping them with _nori_, she had shaped those _nori_ into small pieces, and placed the pieces on the rice ball, forming what seemed like a pair of eyes, nose and a mouth. She even cut long, tiny pieces of red chili peppers and put them on top of the _onigiri_, which reminded Renji, oddly, like his hair.

"It is normal _onigiri_. I just added my own creativity to give it that unique appearance."

_Hell, why would she sound so proud over something so weird like that?_

"Didn't your mother ever taught you to never judge things just by how they looked like, Renji?"

"Well..."

"Eat, then."

"Y-y-you don't expect me to eat this, do you? I mean, is it even edible? What if I died after eating this?"

"Of course it is! Edible, I mean."

Renji looked warily at the weird-looking thing in his hand. Slightly annoyed, the petite woman grabbed the lunchbox and picked up one of the _onigiri_ and popped it into her mouth, munching it furiously. "See? I'm not dead, aren't I?" she asked him sarcastically.

Braving himself, Renji popped the thing into his mouth and munched cautiously while the woman watched him expectantly.

"Well, it tastes like a normal _onigiri_."

"What the hell do you expect?" the woman shouted at him, annoyed.

Ignoring the look she shot at him, Renji began eating the _onigiri_ one by one, savoring the taste. "Hmm.. They're good, despite how they look like."

"Don't just eat the onigiri! Eat the meat and vegetables too!"

They sat in silence as Renji munched hungrily on his lunch, his uneasiness earlier was long forgotten.

"I made the _onigiri_ to look like you."

"What?" Renji mumbled, still munching furiously.

"I wanted to make something special, to thank you for what you have done for me. Not for kicking Kaien-dono out, but for staying with me and comforting me when I cried."

Renji stopped chewing on his food and opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out.

"So I decided to make something that represents you. But I was crying so badly last night that everything else was so blurry. All I could remember was that your name's Abarai Renji, that you're a cop, and all I could picture was your red hair that stuck out like a sore thumb."

"Hey, watch your words! I was proud of my hair!"

"I didn't even say anything bad about your hair, dumbass! I just said they stuck out!"

"You damn midget! Is this how you show your grateful feelings for someone who helped you?"

"You're the one making this hard for me! I tried my best to be nice but~"

"Hey, thanks for the lunch."

Startled, she stared wide-eyed at him. Renji was smiling sincerely at her. "Thanks for last night," she replied.

"You know, we never introduced ourselves properly." Renji stood up, offered his right to her and bowed, "I am Abarai Renji. Nice to meet you."

"I am Kuchiki Rukia," the woman smiled at him, shaking his hand gently.

"How did you find me, anyway?"

"Let's just say I hunt you down by your scent."

"What are you, a dog? Or are you some sort of a stalker?"

"The hell? I'll kill you!"

"If you do that, you'll be a killing, stalking dog."

"RENJI!!"

* * * * *

She hated parties.

And she hated attending all those stupid social events, where everyone tried to dress their best and ended up dressed their worst, where everyone put on heavy makeup in order to look their best, only to end up looking even sillier than when they were without makeup. Most of all, she hated having to get engaged in fake conversations where everyone was actually force to say polite things to one another when truth is, they didn't even like each other.

If it weren't for Ulquiorra, she would have refused the invitation.

He had dropped by yesterday to give her the invitation card, but she wasn't home so he left the card, along with a _little gift_ for her, with Renji. Then earlier this morning, he gave her a call, just in case she didn't get what he left, he told her.

She had wanted to say no, wanted to tell him that she hated going to those dinner parties, that she had never enjoyed every single one she attended. But before she could do that, he'd said, "Please say yes, for my sake. This one, tonight, is very special for me."

And she said yes.

It seemed that when it came to Ulquiorra, the only word she was capable of saying was 'yes'. And now, she would have to get ready for tonight's dreadful event, she thought, as she walked lazily towards the dressing table and sat down.

Sighing, Orihime grabbed the gift box Ulquiorra left for her last night. It was a very beautiful box, white, with little red hearts printed all over it, and it was tied with a large red ribbon. She shook the box, but heard nothing. _Whatever could be in it?_

Then slowly, she began to untie the ribbon and lifted the top of the box gingerly. When she saw what was inside, she gasped.

It was a dress. A red dress, no less. Ulquiorra seemed to have a pension for anything red, and he'd always told her that he loved seeing her in red. She even once joked, "Then you must be crazy about _Onii-chan's_ hair!", and that had earned her a light pinch on the arm from him. With shaky hands, she lifted the dress up.

It was a very beautiful dress, and it looked really expensive to her, which of course, was nothing for a thriving businessman like Ulquiorra. It was a full-length, red silk dress, strapless, and tied at the side of the waist. The bust line was quite low and she wasn't so confident about showing her cleavage. Unlike Mama Rangiku who was proud of hers and flaunted them every chance she got, she was very reserved when it came to revealing her body.

As if she heard Orihime's thoughts, the bedroom door suddenly swung open and a very excited Mama Rangiku rushed into the room. She made a beeline towards the stunned beauty sitting in front of the mirror and hugged her in a tight embrace.

"Ow! Ow! Ow...!"

The door swung open again and in came a dark-haired tomboy who immediately followed suit. Orihime was now crushed between the two women who seemed determined to knock the life out of her.

After what felt like a long time for Orihime, the two women released the wailing, flailing beauty. Orihime for one was grateful that she was still alive, and two, because all of her bones remained intact.

"That hurts... Never ever do that again. Both of you," after a pause, she added, "Please."

"Oh, Orihime. Please forgive your beautiful Mama. I was just too excited when I heard that you were going to a dinner party with Ulquiorra." Then, noticing the dress Orihime dropped on the floor when she was being crushed earlier, the elder woman squealed excitedly, "This is the dress he got you? It's gorgeous!"

Holding the dress to her body, Rangiku began dancing around excitedly.

"It's not like we've never been to one before," Orihime said matter-of-factly.

"But this one is different. This is the first you guys went to after you accepted his proposal."

"Yes, Hime. This is the first one you'll attend officially as Ulquiorra's fiancée!"

"Tatsuki-chan!"

"Awww!" both Rangiku and Tatsuki squealed in delight.

Orihime was blushing madly. Tatsuki-chan was right. This dinner party would be the first one they attend after the marriage proposal. _Is that why she was feeling so nervous and out of place today?_ Ulquiorra rarely showed his affection for her, especially not in public, but he had insisted that she attended this one with him, no, he even _pleaded_... _Could it be...? Could it be that he planned to introduce her as the woman he's going to marry?_

"Aww... Look at her... She's blushing... It's so great to be young..."

"Mama, you're not _that_ old!"

"Oh, Tatsuki! You can see right through me..."

"Well, I am your favorite child, aren't I?"

Amid the laughs and squeals, Orihime smiled as she watched them. Her family was an odd one. There were four people in her family; herself, Mama Rangiku, Renji _Onii-chan_, and her best friend, Tatsuki-chan. The only ones related by blood were Mama Rangiku and Renji _Onii-chan_. She herself was brought into the family when she was still a toddler, while Tatsuki-chan was left in Mama Rangiku's care when her birthparents died in a fire.

As odd a family as they were, she felt happy and loved with them. Most of all, she was grateful that such an angel like Mama Rangiku existed. She knew the beautiful woman had sacrificed a lot to raise the three of them. She had never remarried and dedicated her life to manage her little chocolate shop, which was the only source of income that helped her in raising her beloved children. And of course, after Orihime met Ulquiorra, her burdens had been lifted a little, since Ulquiorra helped to develop her small business by investing in it, and every single expense needed for Orihime, he paid for them. Recently, he even paid the expenses for her enrollment at the university.

Sometimes, Orihime felt she owed too much to Ulquiorra. It's kind enough he helped her mother and even paid for her expenses, to make matters worse, he loved showering them, especially her, with expensive gifts. When she said he gave her too much, he simply told her, "I have money, don't so it's not a big deal for me." She always knew he was rich but somehow knowing that did little to ease her feelings. _To owe that much to someone…,_ _it was like an attachment she couldn't break out of._

"Orihime! Stop spacing out!"

"Eh..?"

"Get ready!!" Mama Rangiku shouted teasingly.

"Eh...!?"

"We're here to make you look beautiful!!"

"Yay! Makeover time!!"

_Oh God..._

:

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:

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_**Regrets…**_

_**Wouldn't want to live my life filled with them…**_

_**I just want to embrace my life they way it is…**_

_**But why…**_

_**Oh, why?**_

_**Why do I keep wondering if things could have been different…?**_

* * *

**Author's Note (yes, another one!!) :** Hope you guys enjoyed reading this chapter. This chapter is my attempt to write something light with humor here and there. Hope I didn't fail! Nothing BIG happened in this one, I just wanted to show how similar Orihime and Ichigo are, with that scene of him with his friends, and her with her family. They are surrounded by some really eccentric people, mind you. If you have questions about Orihime's past, Tatsuki's past or even Ichigo's, just be patient. I'll explain them all in future chapters. Don't forget to review, yeah? Anyway, just wanted to clear out a few things to avoid confusion:

_**Furoshiki**_** – Japanese wrapping cloth, usually used to wrap lunchboxes.**

_**Bento**_** – Japanese lunchboxes (contents may vary, though there are usually **_**onigiri**_**, meat and vegetables).**

_**Onigiri**_** – Japanese rice balls.**

_**Nori**_** – seaweed.**

Still not much of IchiHime in this chapter, but I did write Ichigo ---- Orihime, plenty of RenRuki and UlquiHime *dodges knives thrown at me*, but I assure you this IS an IchiHime fic, you guys just have to wait for that delicious serving that is IchiHime, 'cos this is only the beginning of the story and I'm still, like, doing the introduction. I have a feeling that this is going to be a long story…

Anyway, that RenRuki scene was inspired by Boys Over Flowers (I was crazy about the Korean version of this drama), you know, where the girl made cookies resembling the boy, only in my story Rukia made Renji-like onigiri. But RenRuki scenes are so easy and so enjoyable to write. Wait, maybe that's why I had more RenRuki scenes than IchiHime even when this is an IchiHime fic? *dodges knives again*.

Joking aside, I hope you guys will be patient. IchiHime scene is coming in maybe, next two chapters. In the meantime, hope you guys continue reading and enjoying this story! Have a nice day! XD.


	5. ACT V : A Night to Remember

**Author's Note :** Yay! An update! And this is the fastest I've updated the story so far! XD. It's just that I was re-reading my own stories and I realized I've always started with 'I'm sorry for the late update'... Besides, I've received lovely reviews from all you amazing people that I got so inspired and began writing this chapter! Thank you so so much! When I first published this story in November, I was so worried that no one else would like it except myself (I absolutely love this story!). But then, as the story goes on, I begin to receive a growing number of reviewers and I'm so glad all of you love this story as much as I do! For a new writer like myself, to receive 30 reviews for 4 chapters is very meaningful. *wipes away happy tears*

And thus, to honor all you Constant Readers and Reviewers, this chapter is dedicated to all of you. It wasn't actually planned to write it the way it is, but some people asked me to write more IchiHime (I know, I know), so I did, even if it turn out bizarre at the end! XD. And I would like to thank Lyhime for such beautiful review and more importantly for sharing a very personal experience, this one is written for you, and for all Constant Reviewers and IchiHime fans for your continuous support. Hope you guys will enjoy this one!!

On a sour note, I'll be away from home because I'll be having an out-of-state meeting, so I'm gonna have to put Chapter 6 on hold. Sorry :(

Here are few explanations to clear things up:

**The Ritz-Carlton Tokyo** actually exists and it does serve the expensive diamond martini, or so I've read.

**Bulgari** is an Italian jeweler and luxury goods retailer.

Regarding **the names of Espadas**, I went to search on Wikipedia (their names are so difficult to spell!), and decided to use the original Japanese romanized names (it made me feel like I'm sticking to the originality of the characters), so hopefully I would cause no confusion.

BTW, I noticed minor mistakes I did on Chapter 4, so I corrected them. Just minor mistakes, such as forgetting to put question marks where it should be and not the content of the chapter itself, so it's basically nothing important.

**Disclaimer :** I don't own Bleach.

* * *

Even if he suddenly died, Kurosaki Ichigo would die a very happy man.

And even if he really were to die, Kurosaki Ichigo got absolutely nothing to complain about.

And for once in his life, Kurosaki Ichigo was very glad that he had decided to listen to his uncle and attended that dreadful dinner party.

Because right now, on his bed, in his arms, was the girl of his dreams, and he wouldn't have met her if he hadn't been to that party. _Funny how a decision you made in a few seconds could change your whole life forever, isn't it?_

"Are you bored?" she asked suddenly, jolting him out of his thoughts.

"What? Oh, of course not. I was merely lost in thoughts."

"Hm…"

_She's so beautiful_. Yes, he'd met a lot more beautiful girls before but in his eyes, they were nothing compared to this one. She had that warm, calming presence around her that made him feel at ease when he was around her, yet seeing her would make his heart race a thousand times faster. No other women had managed to make him feel this way.

To think that he had spent his time thinking endlessly of her, dreaming of her, wishing to see her again and all that time, there was always a sinking feeling, a fear that all those wishes would never come true. _But now… now, she's here. And she's mine…_

Then, she asked again, in that _oh so soft_ voice of hers, "Do you think I should leave?"

"No!" _Calm down, Ichigo_. "Spend the night with me," he pleaded softly.

"I don't know…"

The auburn-haired beauty stood up at the edge of his bed, fidgeting nervously with the hem of her dress, her eyes darted indecisively between Ichigo's and the door.

_There she goes again. Looking so damn cute being nervous like that… And she was blushing so much… I'm so lucky…_

Ichigo sat up on his bed and held out his hand. He grabbed her smaller one and pulled her gently towards him. She hesitated at first, but only briefly, then she walked to his side and sat down next to him..

With his free hand, Ichigo reached out and began caressing her face slowly. When his calloused fingers made contact with her soft, smooth, delicate skin, she shuddered and he could see her goosebumps. Hell, _he's_ experiencing the same reaction too. "Do you know you look stunningly beautiful tonight?"

She smiled innocently at him and began shaking her head, causing a few strands of hair to fell upon her face. _Damn_.

He swept away those strands of hair gently, and whispered, "You are, by far, the most beautiful, the sweetest, clueless person I've ever met."

"Hm… I like the beautiful and sweet part, but I'm not so sure whether I like being called clueless."

Smirking, Ichigo leaned closer, his hands still cupping her face, "Then maybe we should test you to prove otherwise."

She looked up defiantly at him with her very gorgeous gray eyes. Eyes that Ichigo felt raking through his very soul. "Fine, test me."

"Well, guess what I'm about to do now."

"Huh?"

"If you're not so clueless, you should be able to guess what I'm about to do to you right now."

"Eh? Y-You… you want to offer me some tea?"

Ichigo slapped his forehead. She is clueless.

"Wrong! I'm about to kiss you."

With that, Ichigo captured her soft, plump, pink lips with his mouth, causing the stunned beauty to gasp, taken aback, allowing Ichigo more access to taste her.

She tried to protest at first. Her hands was holding the front of his shirt tightly, trying to push him away. She whimpered, trying to tell him to stop, but the sounds she made only aroused him more. Groaning, Ichigo kissed her more, feeding on her delicious mouth like a beggar being given food after days of starvation.

And slowly, she stopped protesting.

Instead, she gave in to the pleasure and began returning his hungry kisses, just as passionately as his.

She whimpered no more. Her brain was no longer functioning properly. All rational thoughts were thrown out the window. She was drowning in his kisses, and all she could do was moaning his name over and over again.

"Ichigo…"

"Mmm… Say it…"

"Ichigo…"

:

:

:

"Ichigo!"

"More…"

"Ichigo!"

He felt someone slapped his face. _What the hell?_

Now his body was being shaken violently. _What's going on?_

Feeling weird, the orange-haired man opened his eyes and saw something brown… No, it wasn't light brown, it's dark brown. And instead of seeing long tresses belonged to the beauty he was madly kissing before , it's _short_? Wait… _Keigo_?

He was staring into Keigo's face, who looked almost as shocked as he is.

"Where is she?"

"What do you mean? You were sleeping alone when I came in."

"Where am I?"

"In your own room, of course."

As he regained his senses, he began to feel something heavy, pinning him down. His eyes went wide when he realized the situation he was in. "What the hell are you doing ON TOP OF ME!!? You pervert!"

"Hey! It's y~"

"Get off me!"

Ichigo pushed hardly, sending the other man to land on the floor. Keigo grunted but Ichigo paid no attention whatsoever. Falling on his bedroom floor was not something that never happened to Keigo anyway. More importantly, he was too busy rethinking events. What if he had done some stupid things earlier, like… _kiss Keigo_?

Holding his hands to his head, Ichigo began screaming like a madman. "No!"

Keigo, who had rose from the floor was watching his friend curiously. _This is new_, he thought amusedly. _Ichigo's being such a fool._

"You were dreaming something naughty, weren't you?"

"It's none of your business! Don't put me in the same league as you!" Ichigo shouted accusingly, finger pointed straight at Keigo's face.

"Fine. At least I'm man enough to admit my healthy interests in the ladies."

Ichigo's hand went back to his head, holding them as if he was suffering from a major headache. "Ugh!! What have I done? Why didn't you run away? Why didn't you wake me up sooner?"

"Stop playing the innocent cards," Keigo said matter-of-factly, and went to sit on a chair opposite the bed, staring his crazy friend in the eyes. "I came here to wake you up. When I reached your door, I heard strange noises, so I became worried. That's why I rushed to your bed. When I tried to shake you, you grabbed my hand and pulled me. Then you started kissing me," Keigo ended his words with a disgusted expression on his face.

"K-k-k- kiss you?" Ichigo stuttered in disbelief.

"Yup. You kissed me smack on my mouth."

Ichigo went blue involuntarily, and made a dash towards the bathroom. In a matter of seconds, all Keigo could heard was gagging sounds coming from there.

_This could be fun_, Keigo thought wickedly, and got up. He walked straight to the bathroom and saw Ichigo on the floor with his head inside the toilet bowl, trying to force the content of his stomach out.

_What a sight!_ "Oh, quit acting so dramatically! You were enjoying our kiss very much just now. I tried to pull away but you held me tight, and with your tongue, you started to…"

"Stop that, you idiot! There's no way in hell I could be enjoying kissing you!"

"Ichigo, you're so mean! I thought we're lovers…" Keigo said in a mocking tone, causing the other man to gag again.

Unable to contain it anymore, Keigo burst out laughing. Ichigo looked up at his friend. Realizing he was being played, he pulled a tissue and wiped off his mouth. He got up and looked menacingly at his best friend.

"Nothing did happened, does it?"

Still laughing, Keigo shook his head. Ichigo wanted to lash out his anger caused by the humiliation, but decided against it. None of this was Keigo's fault. It was the result of his own stupidity, being so caught up in that girl…

Ichigo walked passed Keigo and plopped himself on his bed. His best friend followed him and took a seat at the chair he previously sat on. "Look, I'm sorry, dude. I just couldn't resist it."

"It's okay. But none of this is to be told to any other person, got it?" Ichigo asked threateningly. Keigo, in turn, nodded obediently.

"_Again_, why are you here?"

"Your uncle told me to wake you up and then head over to the party with you."

"I'm not going."

"Ichigo…"

"Don't push me. Are Chad and Mizuiro going?"

"If you won't, we won't too."

"Good."

"Erm… Ichigo?"

"What?"

"You should put your trousers on. _That_ was pretty… _unsightly_?"

"What?" Following the direction of Keigo's pointing finger, Ichigo caught sight of the, _erm_…, huge bulge between his legs. He'd got an erection.

And for the second time ever since Kurosaki Ichigo woke up, the whole house was filled by a deafening scream.

"NO!!!!"

* * * * *

"You okay?"

Startled, the young beauty looked up at the sound of the voice, and her large gray eyes locked with the man's piercing emerald gaze. "Eh? I'm fine," she answered him.

Ulquiorra flashed the auburn-haired woman a small smile, "You're quieter than usual."

"I guess I'm just nervous about the party."

"Don't be." Then, after a considerable pause, he added, "You look really beautiful tonight."

"T-t-thanks…"

Ulquiorra let out a small laugh, "Are you really that nervous? It's not like you've never been to a dinner party before."

Orihime laughed nervously as a reply. She intended to show him that she was not nervous but instead, the laugh sounded all wrong to her own ear.

"I like it when you pull your hair up like that. And that red dress suits you really well."

"Eheheh… You do? I wanted to let my hair loose but Mama Rangiku and Tatsuki-chan advised me against it."

"I prefer your hair like this."

And _she_ hated her hair pulled up. She loved her long silky tresses and was proud of it. She preferred them loose.

They were inside Ulquiorra's insanely luxurious car, and he was driving towards the location of the party. He'd planned on asking his driver to drive them there and picked her up in his limousine, but decided differently at the last minute. He enjoyed driving himself and more importantly, it would mean he would have some time alone with the gorgeous lady who was now sitting nervously in the passengers' seat. His bodyguards too were reluctant letting him leaving for the alone. They were always too concerned about his safety. He knew very well that he could defend himself should there be harm coming his way. And Orihime… he would rather died than let anything happened to her.

"How much farther is it?"

Ulquiorra looked questioningly at her.

"The hotel, I mean. Where the party's held?" Orihime repeated.

"It won't be much longer."

"O-okay…"

The dark-haired businessman eyed his fiancé. Something was up with her. She was unusually quiet tonight, with the absence of her ramblings about every little things she saw. She was usually pointing excitedly at everything the passed by, and she would tell him how beautiful those things were. She was nervous too, he could see that even if she denied it.

"Are you really okay?"

"I'm fine... You've asked twice. There's nothing to be worried about."

Ulquiorra eyes lingered on her face for a moment, concerned, but then quickly returned them to watch the streets after she forced a soft smile for him.

Despite her efforts to show that she was doing just fine, Inoue Orihime was certainly not fine. Her mind was in a whirlwind; thoughts jumbling in and out, and she could feel steady thuds inside her head. _Headache_. She couldn't figure out why she was feeling this way. _Was it because this was the first time they went out together after he proposed to her? Or was it because of her appearance today?_ She was not used to dress this revealingly, and tonight she was baring a huge amount of her skin. _Or maybe, maybe it was because Mama Rangiku's words earlier?_

:

:

:

"_There! You look like a princess!" Rangiku exclaimed excitedly, beaming, and turned Orihime's chair to face the mirror._

_The younger woman gasped when she saw her image reflected on the mirror. She was not fond of makeup, and she seldom put them on, except for during occasions when she's really required to. "D-d-don't you think this is too much, Tatsuki-chan?"_

Definitely not the right person to ask_. The said woman had the exact same ecstatic expression as Rangiku's on her face. After all, she had acted as Rangiku's assistant, preparing poor Orihime for her big night. "Don't be ridiculous. The makeup's absolutely perfect," she gushed._

_Rangiku grabbed Orihime's hands and pulled her to her feet. Then both her and Tatsuki pushed the auburn-haired beauty towards the closet, so she could hide behind the door and get changed.. "Now go get dressed."_

_Orihime obeyed silently, and when she was done putting on the dress, she walked towards them, "How do you think?"_

_And for what seemed like the millionth time for Orihime, both women squealed, "Awww!!"_

"_Oh, Hime! You look so gorgeous!"_

"_Hm… Who knew that Ulquiorra actually have a nice taste?"_

"_Of course he does! Otherwise he wouldn't have chosen to propose to my lovely daughter!"_

"_Right!"_

"_Guys, I really think this dress is revealing too much of… _me._"_

"_What? That's nothing! I wish you could flaunt more. Here, maybe you could pull the dress a lower."_

"_Mama Rangiku!" Orihime protested, her face red, when the sexy older woman started to grab her dress and pulled. Seeing her panicked expression, Rangiku laughed._

"_Ulquiorra wouldn't be able to keep his hands off you with you looking like this!" Tatsuki exclaimed excitedly, causing Orihime to blush even deeper._

"_Here. Turn around. I want to see my beautiful grown-up daughter."_

_Rangiku turned Orihime's body around gently so they could face each other. When she saw the beautiful face in front of her, she felt her breath caught in her throat. So many years had passed. So many years had went by since she'd opened her house to the knockings coming from a starving, very determined young man named Inoue Sora. He was carrying his baby sister on his back and begged to be let in…_

"_Mama…?"_

_Tatsuki's concerned voice caused Rangiku to return to snap out of her memory. Wiping her tears away, she smiled serenely at her two children. "I'm okay. I'm just so happy you guys grew up well."_

"_Of course! We have the most amazing mother in the world!"_

"_Definitely," Tatsuki agreed and wrapped her arms around Rangiku's left side, while Orihime hugged her from the other side. Rangiku hugged them back, a wide smile plastered on her face._

"_You really are beautiful tonight," Rangiku repeated, and reached for Orihime's hand to pat it. That was when she realized something. "Orihime! Where's your ring?"_

"_What?"_

"_Your engagement ring. The one Ulquiorra gave to you?"_

"_Oh, that. I took it off this morning when I was washing the dishes. It should be somewhere on the dressing table."_

"_Hime? You're supposed to take care of that ring like your whole life depends on it! You couldn't leave it lying around like that!" Tatsuki released herself from Rangiku's hug and went over to search for the ring on the dressing table._

"_Tatsuki. Stop searching. Go look for the right pair of shoes from my room."_

"_But, mama…"_

"_Now."_

_Rangiku usually joked around with her kids, but when they heard her firm tone, they knew it was time to be serious and do as what they were told. "Okay, mama."_

_With that, Tatsuki walked out of Orihime's room, leaving her with a now very serious looking Rangiku._

"_Women don't normally forget their engagement ring, you know."_

"_I know, mama. Maybe it's because I'm not used to wearing it yet."_

"_That's merely an excuse."_

"_No, mama~"_

"_Each time you have doubts about you and him, just remember, good things doesn't always come rolling in life. He could guarantee you a fine life, and he was loyal man, and he cares about you. A lot. What more could you ask for?"_

"_I know, mama. Believe me, I know." Orihime paused a while, before saying, "It's just I wonder if I love him. You know, I wanted to be able to feel that feeling, you know, the aching feeling in my heart whenever I don't see him, and I wanted to feel my heart beating frantically whenever I saw his face, but, but, I didn't…"_

"_Orihime. Sometimes being in love is just not enough."_

"_But…"_

"_Learn from me. I don't want you to live a hard life like I did."_

"_But, mama… I've felt it!"_

"_What?"_

"_Only it's not with him."_

_Rangiku was staring wide-eyed at Orihime, shocked at her confession._

"_I-i-it's was a guy I met at the church last night. When he got closer to me, my heart was beating so rapidly that I thought it would burst out of my chest. And~"_

"_Stay away from that guy. Whoever he really is."_

_Tears were about to fall from her eyes now. "Mama…"_

"_You heard what I said. And don't cry, you'll ruin your makeup."_

"_I…"_

"_Go take your ring and put it on. It's normal to have doubts when you're in a serious relationship."_

_The door burst open and Tatsuki's head popped in, "He's here." She dangled a pair of black heels, "Here's your shoes."_

"_Go," Rangiku mouthed to her._

_Pushing aside her uneasiness, Orihime went downstairs to meet him. And when she saw him, looking very handsome in his black tuxedo with a striped black and red necktie, his red waistcoat was a nice contrast to his pristine white shirt, with a similar shade handkerchief folded neatly in his pocket to match her red dress, she was overwhelmed with a sense of familiarity. She knew everything about this man, and when he flashed her his confident smile, she realized that he was her source of stability. _

"_Are you ready?" he asked her softly._

_She smiled and nodded, extending her right hand. He grabbed hers with his larger one, and she thought, _he is my source of stability_._

:

:

:

So why exactly was she feeling nervous?

It's not like she'd fell in love with anyone else, not even the man with the orange hair.

It's just that, if she were to fall in love, she wished it would be with Ulquiorra.

* * * * *

"We've arrived."

Orihime almost jumped at the sound of Ulquiorra's voice.

"We've arrived at the hotel," he repeated.

"Oh, okay," Orihime said sheepishly, feeling guilty because she realized she had remained mostly silent, selfishly lost in her own thoughts, all the way to the hotel.

Ulquiorra got out of the car, closed his door, jogged lightly over to Orihime's side and opened her door. He held out his right hand to her and helped her got out.

"Thanks…"

_He's such a gentleman. Maybe Mama Rangiku's right. I couldn't have asked for someone better than him…_

But her thoughts were soon drifted away when her eyes saw the tall, majestic building, looming in front of them. Its' modern look was breathtakingly beautiful. The Ritz-Carlton Tokyo Hotel, one of the most prestigious hotels in Tokyo. It was reputed as the tallest, and the trendiest hotel around. The lights were shining brightly, reflecting on the beautiful marble floor. They stepped on the red carpet and made their way in, heading towards the ballroom, hand in hand.

Ulquiorra gave her hand a gentle squeeze, "There's no need to worry. I'll stay by your side all night long."

_He's so understanding._

Orihime sighed, eyes staring straight at the back of the man who was leading her towards the ballroom.

_And he's handsome too…_

_What more could I have wished for?_

* * * * *

She had enjoyed the night so far, most of all the beautifully decorated ballroom, with all the tables decorated in golden tablecloths, and the gorgeous, sparkling chandeliers were hanging from the ceiling, illuminating the ballroom. She had even tried the famous and crazily expensive diamond martini Ulquiorra ordered especially for her. She squealed when she found a Bulgari stone at the bottom of the glass. She wanted to return it, but Ulquiorra stopped her. "Keep it. It's my special present to you," Ulquiorra said, smiling happily at her, causing her to squeal again, tears brimming in her eyes.

"Hey, hey! Ulquiorra, my man!"

He had introduced her to a lot of people at the party and she had started to feel dizzy from trying to remember their names and faces. Her mouth felt so stretched from all the smiles she had to put on. And there, right now, was a large old man, his hair grayed along with his eyebrow and thick mustache who was waving at them, and she could feel Ulquiorra pulling her there.

"Glad you made it," the old man said as they reached his side.

"I wouldn't miss this party, after all, it is held specially to celebrate our successful deal with that multimedia company," Ulquiorra replied.

"And who do we have here?" the old man asked as he concentrated his gaze on Orihime.

"This is Inoue Orihime, my fiancé. And this is Barragan Luisenbarn, my business partner."

"Nice to meet you, sir."

Orihime shook the old man's hand, cringing as she could feel his gaze traveled upon her bare skin. There was a huge, ugly scar visible on the left side of his chin and another one across his right eye.

"A human, eh? You're a very surprising man, Ulquiorra."

Obviously not liking Barragan's mocking tone, Ulquiorra stared him straight in the eyes and stated firmly, "She is very important to me, and should anyone dare to do any harm towards her, I'll make them pay."

"My, my, aren't you quite the gentleman, Ulquiorra-sama?" a deep female voice cut in before Barragan could respond.

They turned towards the owner of the deep, sultry voice. A blond woman, dressed provocatively in a tight black strapless gown, her hand holding a martini, was smiling coldly at the people in front of her.

"Harribel."

"Don't say my name so coldly, Barragan-sama. It made me think that you actually detest my presence here."

Ulquiorra cleared his throat, "Orihime, you've met Tia Harribel before."

"O-of course."

Orihime bowed politely before shaking Harribel's hand. Of course she knew her. She was Ulquiorra's secretary, whom Ulquiorra had instructed to call Orihime and arrange for their dates when he was too busy, and had even once delivered Orihime's birthday present herself while Ulquiorra went abroad to settle a business deal.

_Her hand is so cold_, Orihime thought as she released her hand from Harribel's. She could tell that the woman never liked her but she didn't want to know why. She wouldn't want to spend too much of her times to worry about how others perceived her. That woman never spoke much words to her too and when she smiled, it was a forced, cold smile.

"So brave of you to actually come here, Orihime-chan."

"Harribel," Ulquiorra warned.

"I'm just stating the obvious, Ulquiorra-sama. Everyone here at this party are werewolves and she should be aware that we're a bunch of bloodthirsty creatures," Harribel said calmly, completely ignoring Ulquiorra warning.

"That's enough!" Ulquiorra snapped, he could tell that Orihime was shivering. "You should know better than to cross your leader!"

Harribel stood facing Ulquiorra stubbornly. She seemed determined about challenging Ulquiorra. She looked confident at first, but suddenly, Orihime saw her beginning to shiver and soon enough her knees gave out and she was sprawled on the floor.

The crowds had gathered around them and Orihime heard they gasped when Harribel fell on the floor. There were stifled hushes and whispers, but they were all stopped when Barragan shooed them away, insisting that nothing was happening and that they all should mind their damn businesses.

"What do you say now, Harribel?" Ulquiorra was still focusing his eyes on the blond woman.

"I-I-I'm sorry, Ulquiorra-sama."

Ulquiorra reached out his hand to pat Harribel's head like a mother would her child, "Good. Never ever anger me, got it? I demand your absolute loyalty and respect towards me and people important to me, got it?"

"Y-yes, Ulquiorra-sama."

"Good." Turning his attention towards Orihime, Ulquiorra asked in a much kinder, softer voice, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Is Harribel-san okay?"

"She's fine." Then, directing his gaze at Barragan, Ulquiorra instructed, "Take care of her. We're leaving. I need fresh air."

Barragan nodded quietly. There was an unspoken rules between them. Respect and be loyalty to their leader of the pack is an absolute must, otherwise they will bear the consequences, which most of the time would mean death.

"You silly girl," Barragan muttered as he helped Harribel up, while Ulquiorra and a very concerned Orihime left the ballroom.

"I'm sorry about that," he heard Ulquiorra muttered to Orihime.

_Ulquiorra is their leader_. Even if he himself disagreed with Ulquiorra's decisions or his way of life, defying him certainly was not an option.

* * * * *

_That Ulquiorra is an idiot!_

Such was the thought that crossed the mind of the teal-haired man standing at the far corner of the ballroom as his cold blue eyes watched the scene before him. Ulquiorra had went around introducing that human girl as his fiancé, and even defended her, he could tell by looking at that little scene with Harribel. Well, _she is hot_, he got to admit that but the fact that she was human disgusted him. Humans are lowly creatures; weak, disloyal, and were always too preoccupied with their swirling emotions.

If that idiot chose the human girl as his companion, then so be it! If anything, she would only bring him down, and if Ulquiorra's weakened, that's a good thing for our clan. _I can't wait to report this to Aizen_.

"Mr. Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez?"

Irritated, Grimmjaw snarled at the woman who dared to disturb him, causing her to scamper away, scared. He was not here to make conversations, hell, he didn't even _want_ to be here. He wouldn't have to come if that good-for-nothing punk didn't bail out at the last minute. _Aizen really is too soft on his nephew_. Which was why he chose to stay out of the crowd, to avoid people. He didn't come to enjoy the party, and should any of Ulquiorra's minions discovered him at their party, they wouldn't like it very much.

"I've had enough of this," he hissed. He should be heading home right now. Besides, he'd already have a valuable information on Ulquiorra.

_Ulquiorra's gotten weaker, thanks to that human girl. Now is the golden opportunity to strike him out._


	6. ACT VI : Le Seigneur des Loups

**Disclaimer : **I don't own Bleach.

* * *

_**You're so close for me to touch…**_

_**Yet you're too far for me to hold…**_

_**Just tell me lies…**_

_**And I would smile…**_

_**Even if I was living in a dream…**_

_**I'll still believe it's the truth…**_

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:

"Ah, so nice of you to finally join us here, Ichigo!"

Ichigo let the heavy wooden door slammed shut behind his back as he stepped into his uncle's office. It was a medium-sized room, cramped with an oversized mahogany desk in the middle of the room, in which behind it a handsome man with his slick brown hair combed backwards – letting a thick strand of hairs falling across his face – sat, his head resting on a throne-like chair, his gaze fixed directly at the young man entering his room, a faint smile tugging on his lips.

Behind the brown-haired man, an antique bookshelf loaded with files and books stood proud, a contrast to the state of the art gadgets placed in the room; an iMac, printer, fax and photocopy machine, along with a black telephone on the desk. There was also a large high-definition plasma TV hung on the wall above a set of sofas in the other corner of the room, from where one can view the busy streets of Karakura should they peered out the glass wall.

The Kurosaki Group of Companies owned the small three-level building with the CEO's office located on the highest level. Despite the modest appearance of their office in Karakura, in truth, it was a multi-billion company, dominating mostly the trading business in whole of Japan. There was another office back in Tokyo, this one located in a towering building with thirty-two levels which was own by the company, but for some reason, their current CEO, Aizen Sousuke preferred his office in Karakura. It was the place where it all started, hundreds of years ago, when Kurosaki Isshin decided to get involved in the trading business.

Ichigo hated having to come into the office, it was not because he didn't want to meet his uncle, but because it reminded him too much of his long demised father. The office had been remodeled, renovated a few times, but Aizen had kept it as much as it was back then, and that made it too nostalgic for Ichigo so he tried to avoid going into the room as much as possible. Aizen was Isshin's first cousin; the closest, the only living family member related by blood to Ichigo. When Isshin died, Aizen took over the company, along with his only surviving child, for whom he would return the ownership one day.

Sitting facing his uncle, Aizen Sousuke, were three men, who turned around when he came in. They were Aizen's most trusted man. The one sitting on Aizen's right side was a dark man, his long hair braided neatly, his eyes shielded by a dark eyeglass. Tousen Kaname. He was blind, but that didn't make him weaker, thus earning him the trust and confident from Aizen, who let him run their office in Tokyo. Beside him was a silver-haired man, his wide grin never leaving his face from the moment Ichigo stepped into the room. Ichigo knew his uncle trusted this man very much, even more than Tousen, but there was something very disconcerting about him that made Ichigo wary whenever he was around. Maybe it was the fox-like grin, or maybe it was the way he teased people to bring them down; Ichigo could not decide. To Ichigo, that man, Ichimaru Gin resembled a snake, causing shivers down his spine whenever they interacted.

Sitting right next to Ichimaru was a teal-haired man, slumped in his chair with his hands inside his pockets, a scowl placed firmly on his face. When his blue eyes met Ichigo's, he looked away with distaste. Ichigo remain unfazed, their hatred towards each other was mutual and very much known to people who knew them.

"Sorry, I was late," Ichigo mouthed finally.

"It's okay, Ichigo-kun. We've just started anyway," replied the silver-haired man, a little too polite, Ichigo perceived. Tousen remained silent, something that Ichigo expected from a righteous man like him. _He probably is itching to lecture me about respect for my elders_, Ichigo thought bitterly.

"Please, take a seat," Aizen's deep, rich voice jolted him out of his thoughts. His uncle motioned towards the empty chair beside Grimmjow, asking him to sit there. _Great_.

Ichigo took his seat. He felt awkward being there. He seldom attended business meetings, despite Aizen's constant urges. He knew his uncle and his men was concerned about the other clan, their greatest rival in the business world; the_ Hombre Lobo_ clan, and every decision they made, it was always influenced by how those decisions affect the other clan. Ichigo himself could not care less about their business, and he was never concerned about the Hombre Lobos despite his clan obsession with them. He was content doing what he loved the most. Painting. He owned his own art gallery in Tokyo, which he loved very much and visited as many times as he could. A nice place to be, compared to his cold, bare office in this very building in Karakura, located right next to Aizen's.

Although his uncle took a great care into feeding him information about their business, he was aware that there were a few things hidden from him, especially matters regarding the Hombre Lobos. Not that he cared very much about that, but it somehow made him felt like an outsider, an ignorant fool, especially in a situation as he was in right now.

"So, what's the big news?" Ichigo asked nonchalantly, earning a stern look from Tousen. Ichigo swore, sometimes that man seemed not to be blind after all.

Aizen cleared his throat. "We were just discussing on the profit margin this month, which I would very much like to share with you."

Ichigo held his right hand up, causing Aizen to stop before he even began sharing the information.

"I'd like to know about how we stand against the Hombre Lobos," Ichigo said firmly, causing the other men in the room to exchange glances. He was known as the ignorant fool all this time, after all, so it was time to do some changes. That was a decision he met moments ago, straight out of the blue.

"My, my. What a nice surprise, Ichigo-kun," Ichimaru said animatedly.

"You've finally come to your senses, Ichigo-sama," Tousen commented appreciatively.

Grimmjow stay muted.

Ichigo shrugged his shoulders, "I just feel like I need to start taking notice of the happenings around me."

Aizen fixed his dark chocolate eyes on Ichigo before he began, "As you know, the Hombre Lobos had been our rivals for a very long time. We would have been easily named as the top company in Japan if it weren't for them. They are very strong, and their current leader, Ulquiorra Cifer was a very wise man. He managed to unite his clan and control them. Over the last years, their company; Cifer & Co. had managed to gross billions of profits, nearly topping ours last year."

Aizen paused for a while, letting the information sink in on Ichigo.

"Last night, Grimmjow attended the dinner party hosted by them to celebrate their successful merging with an IT company – the one I asked you to attend – and he discovered something very valuable, very beneficial to us."

"Well, what is it?" Ichigo asked impatiently, somehow regretting he had insisted his uncle to feed him news regarding the Hombre Lobos.

"If you had attended that damn party like _you_ were supposed to, you would have found out yourself," Grimmjow hissed beside him.

Ichigo ignored him, eyes focused on the man in front of him.

"It seems we've discovered Ulquiorra's weak spot," Tousen said calmly, sensing tension brewing between the two bad-tempered young men.

"Ulquiorra had found the love of his life! And he was engaged to her!" Ichimaru announced, his grin stretched wider.

"What's that got to do with us?"

"She's human. A freaking _human_," Grimmjow muttered, a hint of distaste in his voice.

"So?"

Grimmjow turned to face Ichigo, his face betraying an expression that was close to hatred. "Are you stupid or something? Humans are weak. We could easily destroy that woman or manipulate her, which in turn would guarantee the downfall for Ulquiorra!"

"How do we get to him by taking _her_ down?"

Grimmjow threw his hands up in the air, mocking an exaggerated act of despair, while Tousen shook his head and Aizen smiled softly at his nephew.

Ichimaru made a '_tch, tch_' sound with his tongue, "You obviously had never been in love, Ichigo-kun. Sometimes love makes us do stupid things. We go to great lengths to ensure the other person's happiness, and would do whatever it takes to protect that person, even if it means losing our own lives. If something happened to that woman, it would _destroy_ Ulquiorra, since it's obvious he cared a lot about her or he wouldn't have asked her to marry him."

"Wouldn't that be too cruel?"

"Sometimes a loss is necessary in order to gain something more," Aizen explained.

"I don't know if I could agree upon acts of cruelty."

"Who the hell asked you for permission?" Grimmjow snapped at Ichigo's remarks.

"I believe I have every right to do so."

Grimmjow stood up abruptly, barely able to control his boiling anger, and pointed his finger at Ichigo. "Don't you ever let it get to your dumb brain that you actually have control over me or what I do!"

Ichigo slapped away Grimmjow's hand, and stood up, leveling his gaze with Grimmjow's. "Never ever point your filthy finger at me, you bastard!"

Looking for a way to unleash his anger, Grimmjow kicked his chair, which skidded and missing Tousen's head by a few inch, causing the man to stood up as well.

"You're looking for a fight, eh? Bring it on, Grimmjow!"

Ichigo grabbed the front of Grimmjow's shirt with his left hand, ready to swing his right hand on the other man's smug face, but Tousen had grabbed his hand before he was able to.

"That's enough. Have some respect to everyone present in this room, if not for Aizen-sama."

Grimmjow wrung off Ichigo's hand, before shoving him hard, sending Ichigo to stumble backwards, knocking his chair. Ichigo lurched upwards, ready to attack, but he was stopped yet again by Tousen, who grabbed him, enveloping the younger man in a dead hug. Seeing the two men were getting more out of control, Ichimaru stood up and blocked his body in front of Grimmjow, pushing the man further away from Ichigo.

Both men struggling to get free from the men holding them, unsatisfied that their fight were stopped before it even started. Ichigo and Grimmjow tried to wrestle through but to no avail, since Ichimaru and Tousen were far stronger than them.

Aizen himself had gotten up, walked around the table to face Grimmjow. "Grimmjow, I do hope this is the last time you act disrespectfully in front of me and Ichigo."

"I would never respect that good for nothing punk!"

"He is the rightful leader, the rightful heir to the throne, the rightful owner of the riches we lavished upon. He is _Le Seigneur des Loups_. He _is_ the leader of the pack."

"I would never accept that pathetic excuse of a werewolf as my leader! He can't even transform into one! Are you fucking kidding me?" Aizen's words made absolutely no changes to Grimmjow's action.

Ichigo however had stopped struggling upon hearing Grimmjow's words. That man was right. He was destined to be a leader, to achieve great things, but how could he do all that when he could not even transform? How could he gain power to unite his own clan when he was almost as weak as a mere human being?

"A werewolf who couldn't even transform into one? What a joke!" Grimmjow spat hatefully, causing Ichigo's feeling to sunk lower in his stomach.

"Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez," Aizen said, his tone firm.

"I'm sorry, Aizen-sama, but I could never respect that pathetic man over there!" Grimmjow blurted stubbornly, pointing over at Ichigo who didn't respond at all, head bowed low. Even if he had threatened Grimmjow earlier about his finger pointing acts, Ichigo made absolutely no effort to carry on his threat.

"Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez!" Aizen repeated, his voice harsher this time.

Grimmjow looked over at Aizen for the first time ever since the ruckus started. When his eyes met Aizen's piercing gaze, he shivered as he felt a menacing aura emanated from him.

"You would never act disrespectfully in front of me or Ichigo. Ever again."

Grimmjow fell silent. He could feel his knees weakened, as Aizen's aura grew stronger, suffocating him, making it hard to even breathe.

"Grimmjow..."

Ichimaru released his dead grip on Grimmjow. Having nothing to hold on to, Grimmjow fell on his knees. His trembling hands holding him from landing with his face flat on the floor.

"I don't hear you say anything, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez."

"Y-y-yes..."

"What?"

"Yes, Aizen-sama. I-I would never act disrespectful in front of you."

"And...?"

"And towards Ichigo as well."

"Good," Aizen muttered, directing his gaze away from Grimmjow. As soon as he did, Grimmjow felt his energy came surging back into his body as if they had been drained away earlier. Feeling much stronger, he got up.

"You may leave now."

"Yes, Aizen-sama."

The teal-haired man hurried away to the door and walked out. Things had turned ugly in there and after he felt Aizen's aura earlier, he have to be careful. _That Aizen is not one to fool around with_. He would wait for another chance to teach that punk Kurosaki Ichigo some lessons. For now, he just had to get away.

Back in the room, Ichigo had been oblivious to what was happening between his uncle and Grimmjow. He was too absorbed, wallowing in self-pity, his eyebrows furrowed even deeper and his scowl firmer. He was weak, he knew. If he had been stronger, he would not have lost his whole family. If he had been stronger, he would find a way to fight his trauma and would have been able to gain his animal form again. _Yeah, if only he was stronger..._

* * * * *

_**In this cruel world, the stronger triumphed over the weak ones. If you have the will to survive, if you want to survive, the only answer is to grow stronger...**_

* * * * *

Things were merry in Rangiku's house. Renji and Orihime had both invited their friends to come over for dinner, and the ladies had busied themselves in the kitchen since six in the evening, having closed the little chocolate shop earlier that day. Renji however, was now chatting with his guest in the living room, Hisagi Shuuhei after he had introduced them to his family. Hisagi had brought along a bottle of high quality _sake_ with him. He had come early, saying that it had been a long time since he had spent time with Renji outside of work.

Tatsuki herself had to be in the kitchen, for fear that if Mama Rangiku and Orihime were left to their own devices, they might try to cook one of their '_new recipes_'. They did fine when they cooked normally but sometimes they attempted to cook one of their new inventions and that was when things could get ugly. She and Renji had once been treated to one of their special vegetable soup; consisted of chunks of melons and other stuffs she could not name. They had suffered from diarrhea for almost one week after they tried that one, and Tatsuki vowed never to let it happen again.

She was fiddling with the oven, checking whether the chicken had been properly roasted when the doorbell rang.

"Oh, that must be Ishida-kun," Orihime said, and stopped rolling the _sushi_, while Rangiku continued working on the dessert, a _daifuku_.

"Say, Tatsuki-chan, why don't you go and greet Ishida-kun? I'm in the middle of something," Orihime asked suggestively, aware of her best friend's crush over Ishida. Ishida Uryuu took the same course as her in the university and they had gotten quite close. Orihime had invited him over a few times, and Tatsuki's crush over him grew more and more serious each time. Orihime had secretly planned to set the two up with each other, and that was partly why she insisted Ishida to come earlier even when he told her he had other errands to run. The man had later agreed, making Orihime happy enough that she bounced on her feet. _Mission accomplished_, she silently thought.

Tatsuki protested at first, saying that it would be better if Orihime herself went and greet him since she was the one inviting him over, but then gave in since she secretly wanted to see Ishida herself. She wiped her hands with the kitchen towel and walked to the living room, glancing back at Orihime who flashed her an 'OK' sign.

Tatsuki paused briefly at the door, primped her hair and wiped her palm on her blouse, somehow they had gotten sweaty. She ignored the puzzled look Renji threw at her and grabbed the door handle. She swung the door open, maybe a bit too hard because she was being nervous of all, startling the man waiting on the other side.

He was dressed in a pristine white short-sleeved shirt and long black pants. His black hair was combed neatly over the sides, a nice contrast against his rather pale complexion. His glasses sat firmly on the bridge of his nose. Simple and neat. _Just like Ishida, he managed to look handsome without making any efforts_, Tatsuki gushed silently.

"Good evening, Arisawa-san," Ishida said, bowing his head.

Blushing, Tatsuki bowed as well, "Welcome, Ishida-san."

She opened the door wider, stepping aside as Ishida walked into the room. He went over to greet Renji immediately, leaving Tatsuki at the door, clutching her hand to her chest in a vain effort to calm her furiously beating heart.

She then closed the door, flashed a shy smile at Ishida who was now sitting on the sofa along with Renji and Hisagi as she hurried back into the kitchen.

Orihime, who was now helping Rangiku with the _daifuku_, stopped when she noticed the blushing woman came into the room.

"Well, how was it?" she asked impatiently.

"Oh my God! He looks so handsome! I was so nervous I couldn't stop shaking."

Orihime jumped excitedly. "I'm so glad to hear it! Mama, Tatsuki-chan is in _lurrve_!"

Rangiku looked up, a mixed expression of relief and joy on her face. She jogged excitedly towards Tatsuki's side and hugged her. "Oh, I'm so glad to hear that. To think that I had once worried that you would end up alone because you were always so brash towards men."

"Mama!"

Laughter filled the kitchen as Rangiku and Orihime teased the madly blushing Tatsuki. Renji popped suddenly into the kitchen, questioning them what was so funny and whether dinner was ready. They were about to shoo him away when they heard the doorbell ring again.

"Eh?" Orihime said, startled.

"I thought Renji invited Hisagi-san and Orihime invited Ishida. You didn't asked any other people to come, didn't you two?" Rangiku questioned her children, who both shook their head. They were as startled as Rangiku was at the moment.

"Well then, who the hell is that?" Tatsuki asked, puzzled.

"I don't know..." Renji replied, his voice uncertain.

Rangiku looked sternly at her son, "Then what are you waiting for? Go see who it is!"

"I don't want to. Orihime, _you_ go see who it is!"

"Onii-chan!"

"RENJI!!" Tatsuki and Rangiku shouted simultaneously.

Renji walked away from the kitchen, claiming they were ganging up on him. Orihime, feeling guilty suddenly, volunteered to see who knocked on the door. She went to the door, followed by Renji who somehow worried about letting her go by herself since danger lurked everywhere, even though he was the one who told her to go to the front in the first place.

Orihime opened the door, and was shocked to see the person standing before her with her back towards Orihime. "Kuchiki-san?"

The petite woman turned and she was as shocked to see Orihime at the door. "Inoue?"

Renji looked outside, aware that his sister had discovered something shocking, at least to her, since she was standing there with her jaw opened after she muttered "Kuchiki-san." _Kuchiki, Kuchiki, now where did I hear that name before?_

When he saw the raven-haired woman, his jaw dropped, his expressions more comical than that of his sister's.

"You!"

"Renji!"

"Onii-chan? Do you know Kuchiki-san?"

"I met her.., err... on a case. How did _you_ know her?"

"I studied in the same class as Kuchiki-san."

Rukia stood gaping as she watched the two talking about her. "Excuse me, are you two siblings? I'm sorry, but I thought his name is Abarai and yours is Inoue."

"That's a long story, Kuchiki-san. We'll tell you all about it over dinner."

"Wait! Why do you invite her in? Aren't you even curious on how she found out where we live?" Then he walked over to Rukia and grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her furiously, "Are you _really_ some kind of a stalker? Cause if you're thinking of stalking me, you'd better think twice or I'm sure as hell I will make you regret ever doing so!"

"Onii-chan! That's not nice," Orihime protested and grabbed Rukia's hand, pulling her away from Renji. Renji watched in disbelief as Orihime invited Rukia into the house, slamming the door shut behind them. Rukia had managed to turn around towards him before the door closed and stuck out her tongue.

"That bastard!"

Renji kicked the ground furiously. Then he sighed, _Orihime is always so trusting towards other people_. Feeling defeated he went inside, his mind still reeling over questions about Kuchiki Rukia.

* * * * *

The dinner went fine. The food was great, and the atmosphere was great too. Renji and Hisagi talked about the cases they worked on together, some of it made Rangiku could barely swallow her chicken, because she kept imagining the murder scenes they described.

Orihime, Ishida and Rukia shared about the university projects they worked on together. All three of them were taking the filmmaking course back in the university, and Renji commented it was very suitable on Orihime because of her vast imagination. They were currently doing a short documentary on werewolves, causing Rangiku, Renji, and Tatsuki to raise a questioning look over at Orihime. They are very much aware of Ulquiorra's identity and were afraid if Orihime would somehow let it slip, but she mouthed '_It's okay_'.

Rangiku and Tatsuki then mentioned about their plan to add the repertoire of confections they sell in their little chocolate shop, to which everyone agreed was a good idea since that shop had been increasingly gaining attention from people lately and they were receiving more and more orders.

There were few awkward moments as well; and had been when Hisagi asked Orihime about her fiancé.

"I heard you were engaged, Orihime-chan," he'd said. "Where is the lucky man?"

"He was away on a business trip."

"Oh, you must have really loved him to agree to marrying him at such a young age," Hisagi commented, while Orihime fell silent, hands fidgeting nervously with the hem of her skirt.

Rangiku, noticing Orihime's discomfort, began asking Rukia's questions about how she ended up meeting Renji. Rukia struggled, searching for words to explain their meeting without making herself appear pathetic. Renji piped in, helping her, and told Rangiku that they had met when he answered a call about someone causing a ruckus in a bar. He glanced over at Rukia after he finished explaining, and caught her smiling appreciatively at him. He smiled back. He was never raised to embarrass anyone, and he was not going to start doing so.

Ishida meanwhile had shared with the ladies – the guys were obviously not interested – on his latest dress design and offered to show them in the future. They agreed enthusiastically. Ishida was known to be an excellent tailor; sewing with great speed and beautifully as well. Renji however, fought the urge to snort.

Everyone was having fun. Before long, the food was cleared and they were too full to eat more. Renji got up and invited the men back to the living room to smoke and drink the _sake_ Hisagi had brought with him. Rangiku tagged along, announcing it had been forever since she had her last _sake_.

Rukia helped Tatsuki and Orihime cleared the table. She wanted to help with the dishes but she was pushed away from the kitchen by Orihime, who insisted that guests should sit and relax, not do chores. She lingered in the kitchen for a while, unsure of what to do, then Orihime offered to take her on a tour around the house. They left, after Orihime instructed Tatsuki to steer clear off the dirty dishes until she return, not wanting her to do the chores alone, to which the latter took no heed of since as soon as Orihime left, she began squeezing the dishwashing liquid.

* * * * *

After a while, Rangiku and Hisagi were the only ones left in the living room, pouring glasses after glasses of _sake_. Renji had rushed upstairs after he heard Rukia squealed, saying something about his cute baby pictures. Ishida had disappeared outside some time ago, declaring he needed fresh air to avoid getting drunk.

"They were all grown up now..."

"Who?"

"My children."

"Yeah..."

"Renji turned up pretty decent too, don't you think?"

Hisagi looked over at the woman sitting beside him, her eyes glassy, and her cheeks rosy – a result from the _sake_ she gulped. "He's a good man," he assured her.

"I know..."

Hisagi began fiddling with his glass, "Now that they've all grown up, don't you think it's time you start thinking about yourself?"

Rangiku looked up at him, she clearly could not grasp what he meant.

"I mean, you've sacrificed so much raising them..."

"I'm their mother, it's my responsibility."

Hisagi fixed his eyes on the woman before him, his mind remembering the time over a decade ago, when he first saw her, and she was as beautiful now as she was back then.

"Don't you ever think of remarrying?"

Rangiku stared disbelievingly at him, then she began to laugh. "I'm an old woman, Hisagi-san. Who would be interested in me?"

"If you let me, I'd be more than willing to share your joys and your pains, to share your burdens in life, to take care of you forever..."

She laughed again, although there was a hint of uncertainty in her voice this time as she asked him. "Are you proposing to me, Hisagi-san?"

"I think I am."

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm old. I'm not beautiful anymore, so don't joke around with me. And I could tell that you are younger than me."

"I'm not joking. I don't care about the age difference. And you _are_ beautiful, as beautiful as you were when I first saw you," he blurted his earlier thoughts out loud.

"Wait, what do mean when you _first_ saw me? Have we met before? I don't remember ever seeing you."

He sighed, "I was involved in the search team for Orihime-chan. I was a student then, doing my internship over at the lab in the city. When the local police called the headquarters and request for help, I was sent here along with the coroner. I saw you, and I thought, what a strong woman she is. I know you're sad at that time, but you were so calm and collected. We never talked – I was a nobody back then – but I watched you from afar as I grew more attracted to you."

"Oh..."

"You served us hot chocolate when we finished our shifts. I remembered how delicious they were and how they warmed me as I wait for the other team to return, anxious for good news but at the same time refreshed and ready to continue searching again. And I loved those _ramen_ you cooked for us as well."

"Wow... I-I'm speechless. I never thought you would remember that."

"I never forget. Believe me, I tried to. I was convinced that it had all been a stupid crush, that it's impossible for me to have fallen in love with someone whom I had just met. I've dated few women, looking forward to settle down but somehow I found out they were not the person I was looking for. A few years back, I met Renji, guided him through thick and thin, but never finding out his relation to you. It was only when he told me about how he almost lost his sister, I began suspecting he was your son. He sometimes shared his lunchbox – when he brought one and happened to stop by at the morgue – and they all tasted familiar. Your cooking, I would know it everywhere, anywhere."

He droned on, relishing the old times, his voice low, as he told her how, after knowing Renji was her son, he had waited for the opportunity to see her again, wanting to know how she was.

"And when I see you again, tonight, you still are as captivating as ever."

"Hisagi-san..."

"Please, just call me Shuuhei. I'm not pressing you to tell me your decision right now, but I beg of you, please consider what I said earlier."

"Hisa~ Shuuhei, I might not be able to say yes."

He put his finger on her plump lips, silencing her. A small gesture on his part that caused her to redden immediately.

"Please, no more words about it. Tonight, we'll just drink and enjoy the night like old friends."

Rangiku directed her gaze on him and saw that he was being serious. "Yeah..."

* * * * *

Orihime had went downstairs, leaving Renji with Rukia who rummaged his closet looking for any evidence that could support her in an effort to humiliate him. He tried to close his closet door but that woman was unbelievably strong despite her petite form. Orihime watched as they fought, laughing. She might be imagining things, but her brother does seemed to be happy around Rukia.

She then went to the kitchen, intending to do the dishes, but when she got there, she discovered that Tatsuki had finished washing them. Tatsuki was nowhere in the kitchen, so she peered outside, and noticed a shadow moving. She went out, feeling sure that it was Tatsuki. But she was wrong. It was Ishida.

"Ishida-kun? What are you doing here?"

The said man, who had been gazing at the stars turned around and smiled when their gaze met.

"The stars are very beautiful tonight."

She directed her gaze upwards. He was right; the stars were twinkling brightly against the dark sky, and they were indeed breathtaking. "It's wonderful," she muttered.

"I wish there was a shooting star, so I can make my wish..." she said dreamily.

Ishida, shocked by the faint hint of sadness in her voice, turned and looked over at her. He was surprised when he noticed the loneliness in her eyes.

He let out a small laugh, trying to push the uneasiness away. "What more could you wish for, Inoue-san? I thought you have everything," he said jokingly.

Orihime directed her gaze on him. "Do you think so? Hadn't it ever crossed your mind that even though I have everything, it might not be everything _I_ want?"

"Inoue-san…?"

She looked like she was on the brink of tears, but she wiped her eyes with her hand. Awkward silence enveloped them. Ishida wanted to comfort her, but couldn't find a way.

"Inoue-san, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Ishida-san. Don't worry," she said unconvincingly. She tried to laugh it off, but it sounded all wrong to Ishida's ears.

"M-maybe I should just go back inside," she stuttered, turning back and started to walk away, but stopped abruptly when she felt Ishida's strong grip on her wrist.

Startled, she turned around, "Ishida-kun?"

"Inoue-san, if you feel sad, don't you ever try to hide it. And if you need someone to talk to, just give me a call. I am your friend. I would be more than glad to help you when you need me to."

"Ishida-kun…"

He took her hand with his left one. Then he patted her hand softly as he smiled at her, "Remember, you can ask for anything from me."

Orihime smiled gratefully at him, feeling somewhat relieved that someone had offered to understand her true feelings. They stood like that for a while, smiling at each other, both were unaware of a pair of eyes watching jealously from the kitchen. Tatsuki, who had been in the toilet a moment earlier had come to the kitchen, intending to boil water so she could brew tea for their guests when she saw Orihime and her crush holding hands outside.

_I can't believe this. I can't believe what I'm seeing. I just can't…_

* * * * *

Ichigo slammed the door and plopped down on his chair. He closed his eyes, trying to tame the stubbornly steady thudding in his head. He had come to the office two days in a row, _what a shocker_. It was nothing he had ever done before because he could never care less about his company's business – Aizen was pretty good at managing the company – but somehow, Grimmjow's harsh words yesterday had disturbed him. He felt like he had to prove that he was a strong man, and the first step towards that was change his attitude, get more involved with his family's business.

He sighed and opened his eyes to stare at the bleak white walls before him. He glanced on a photo on his desk; a picture of a bearded man with a beautiful woman beside him. He was holding two little girls, one fair-haired while the other jet-black. The woman was holding an orange-haired boy's hand, they were both beaming brightly at the camera. His family. The family he had lost a long time ago. _And it was all his fault…_

There was a knock on the door, startling him. "Come in."

A woman stepped into the room. Her long, wavy hair a pale green, her slightly droopy eyes somehow made her appeared seductive without even trying to, and the fact that she wore a tight pink blouse over her black mini skirt made her look even sexier. His secretary; Neliel Tu Oderschvank, she was a very attractive woman, Ichigo had to admit, which was why his friends thought him gay because even being around a woman as hot as her couldn't stir his interest in the opposite sex.

"What is it, Nel?"

"It's nothing, Ichigo-sama. I'm just checking to see if you need anything."

"I'm fine."

She excused herself and was about to shut the door when Ichigo noticed the brown-colored box in her hand.

"Wait," he called out to her.

"What is it, Ichigo-sama?"

"What's that you're holding?"

He'd gotten up and started towards her, his acts making the woman nervous because he became excited all of a sudden.

"I-It's just chocolate, Ichigo-sama."

_Chocolate… Chocolate… Yes, maybe that's what she meant!_ He sniffed the box in Nel's hand and tried to remember the scent he smelled on that auburn-haired woman, trying very hard to figure out whether he did smell the same scent on her. Nel watched his boss quizzically. _This man had gone mad. I haven't seen him in months and when I do, he had gone mad_, she thought.

"This… This chocolate… where did you get it?"

"I ordered it from a chocolate shop in Karakura. You see, I was fighting with Grimmjow, and I was so upset, so I had to do something to forget all about him. He can be really rude sometimes but he's actually a~"

Ichigo waved his hand, telling her to stop. He had no interest whatsoever in hearing stories about her hot and cold relationship with Grimmjow. He'd seen her cried her eyes out before, vowing to never forgive that man but then, after a few days, revealed that they were back together few days later. How she could fall for the jerk, Ichigo could never tell.

"Who delivered it here? Was it a woman?" Ichigo asked hopefully.

"Y-yes…"

"Was it an auburn-haired beauty with great body, her eyes large and gray, her smile as bright as the sun?"

Nel fought the urge to laugh. The way Ichigo had described the woman was very poetic and she had never heard such words coming from him before.

"As a matter of fact, it is."

"Then quick, give me the details about that shop. The address, the phone number, just give me everything!"

"Yes, Ichigo-sama."

He would find her. He was excited. Finally, a lead that could help him to trace her. His sorrow earlier was now forgotten. His fight with Grimmjow was no longer remembered.

_I will find her. I will find her…_

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_**And I asked myself?**_

_**When will we meet again?**_

_**When will I be able to see your smile again?**_

_**You're near…**_

_**Yet you're so far…**_

_**What do I do to stop this yearning?**_

_**What do I do to stop this burning heart?**_

_**And I wish upon this snowy night…**_

_**I wish I could see you again…**_

* * *

**Author's Note :** Yay! The 6th chapter's here! For those who'd been my dearest constant Readers and Reviewers, I'm very sorry for making you guys wait so long. I hope this chapter is worth the wait. I worked really hard on it since Monday. I answered the questions everyone had asked me all this while; Ichigo's identity and his relationship to Aizen, in this chapter, and I've added some twist as well =). I also want to make it clear that I am not going to add IshiHime into the story. Ishida cared for Orihime as a friend. I hope I didn't confuse anyone with this chapter. It's just that every male characters I wrote turned out as hopeless romantics. And I'm very pleased to announce that there WILL be an IchiHime scene in the next chapter. I'm excited about writing it and I hope I wouldn't disappoint you guys. In the meantime, just be patient and wait for me to update! ;P

Also, I would like to thank all you lovely people who read and reviewed my story. Some of you even suggested on how I should develop the story, giving me ideas and it made me so happy since it showed you guys are genuinely interested in the story. I would like to say a special thank you to **AvioNN** (for your idea), and people like **Fostersb**, **Ever Angel 27**, **LunarStar77**, and **Lyhime** who had supported this story and me ever since the beginning. For all of you I couldn't name here, I would like to say a big thank you to you guys as well. I'm really glad you stumbled upon this story and ended up liking it, even if it's later in the story. Thank you so so much!! XO

And, as usual, to clear things:

_**Le Seigneur des Loups**_ - it means leader of the wolves though if translated "seigneur" would mean "lord" but someone pointed out to me that the French often uses this to describe "leader" too (I've changed this twice - thanks **glon morski**, for pointing it out to me).

_**Hombre Lobo **_- it means 'werewolf' in Spanish. (changed this one too - thanks **HARUAL** & **Foxylove18**)

**_Sushi_** - I'm pretty sure everyone knows this, but for those who don't, it is vinegar rice, topped with other ingredients such as fish.

_**Daifuku**_ - is a Japanese confection consisting of a small round mochi (glutinous rice cake) stuffed with sweet filling, most commonly anko (sweetened red bean paste made from azuki beans).

**_Sake_** - a Japanese alcoholic beverage made from rice.

**_Ramen _**- a Japanese noodle dish.

There. Hope I didn't miss anything. So, I hope you guys enjoy this story, and please leave a review to tell me what you think, and everyone's welcomed to suggest anything that you want to be added to the story. Have a nice day!! XD


	7. ACT VII : Why Can't I?

**Warning : **Contains bad words, also includes violence, blood and gore. For the faint-hearted, avoid reading the last scene (it's not much, but, it's better to be prepared).

**Disclaimer : **I don't own Bleach. The title for this chapter and the lyrics I quoted below is from the song "Why Can't I" performed by Liz Phair.

* * *

_**Get a load of me, get a load of you**_

_**Walkin' down the street, and I hardly know you**_

_**It's just like we were meant to be**_

_**Holding hands with you when we're out at night**_

_**Got a girlfriend, you say it isn't right**_

_**And I've got someone waiting too**_

_**What if this is just the beginning**_

_**We're already wet, and we're gonna go swimming**_

_**Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you**_

_**Why can't I speak whenever I talk about you**_

_**It's inevitable, it's a fact that we're gonna get down to it**_

_**So tell me**_

_**Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you**_

_**Isn't this the best part of breakin' up**_

_**Finding someone else you can't get enough of**_

_**Someone who wants to be with you too**_

_**It's an itch we know we are gonna scratch**_

_**Gonna take a while for this egg to hatch**_

_**But wouldn't it be beautiful**_

_**Here we go, we're at the beginning**_

_**We haven't fucked yet, but my head's spinning**_

_**Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you**_

_**Why can't I speak whenever I talk about you**_

_**It's inevitable, it's a fact that we're gonna get down to it**_

_**So tell me**_

_**Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you**_

_**High enough for you to make me wonder**_

_**Where it's goin'**_

_**High enough for you to pull me under**_

_**Something's growin'**_

_**Out of this that we can't control**_

_**Baby I am dyin'**_

_**Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you**_

_**Why can't I speak whenever I talk about you**_

_**Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you**_

_**Why can't I speak whenever I talk about you**_

_**It's inevitable, it's a fact that we're gonna get down to it**_

_**So tell me**_

_**Why can't I breathe whenever I think about you**_

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Ichigo's muttered a curse. He was in his small office in Karakura, where he spent most of his time lately. He stood peering down the streets of Karakura through the glass window in his office, hands jammed in his pockets, his trademark scowl clearly visible.

Ichigo sighed. Gone was his excitement yesterday when he'd discovered a lead to help him in his search for the auburn-haired beauty that occupied his mind permanently ever since he first saw her.

Yesterday, he'd made a call to the number Nel gave him, which was answered by a woman – no, not his mysterious beauty, he remembered clearly the sound of her sweet voice – and ordered a box of chocolate, which he insisted to be delivered to his office early the next morning.

He arrived early that morning, even earlier than his uncle, and waited, his heart beating furiously against his chest. He paced around his room all morning, waiting for Nel to knock on his door and tell him that a woman had come to deliver his chocolate.

Finally, Nel did knocked, and she informed him that someone had indeed come to deliver the box of chocolate he ordered yesterday. But was it his mysterious beauty that had come? No. It was some rude, arrogant, white-haired brat!

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"_What are you doing here?" he'd asked that brat when he entered his office, along with his loyal secretary. He sat straight in his chair, eyes gazing directly at the stranger._

"_You're the one who ordered something from us," the white-haired kid replied._

"_B-b-but…"_

"_What?"_

"_I thought someone else was going to deliver me the chocolates."_

"_I don't know what you're talking about. I'm the only delivery boy around."_

_Disappointed, Ichigo only managed an "Oh."_

_The boy looked up at Ichigo. "Do you want these or not?" he asked, lifting the box of chocolates._

"_What? O-of course."_

_He placed the box on Ichigo's table, before reaching out his right hand, his palm upwards. Ichigo placed a few crumpled notes in his upturned hand. The boy quickly slipped them into his pocket and repeated his action earlier. _

"_What?"_

"_Where's my tip?"_

"_You…"_

"_I expect to be paid a large amount, since this place is quite far away from the shop."_

"_You bastard!"_

"_Ah, Ichigo-sama, that's not a very nice thing to say in front of a child," Nel warned Ichigo. She'd witnessed the scene silently, but decided it was time to pitch in. _It's not a good manner to say bad words in front of a child.

_Embarrassed, Ichigo cleared his throat. "Sorry."_

"_Apology accepted," the boy replied smugly and Ichigo wished he could beat that brat right there and then._

_Ichigo fished for few coins from his pocket. He was not going to give that good-for-nothing brat more than he deserved. _On second thought…

"_Is there an auburn-haired young woman working at the same shop you delivered for?" Ichigo asked, and went on to describe the woman he met at the church._

_The boy eyed him suspiciously, while Nel stifled a laugh._ This woman must really be something to him, _she thought_.

"_Yes, there is…"_

"_Well, what's her name?"_

"_You know, I'm going to have to charge you extra for this."_

That brat really deserves a few hard punches on the face. _"Okay."_

"_I think the person you're looking for is Orihime onee-san."_

_Ichigo waited patiently for the boy to tell him more, but he said nothing further. Slightly annoyed, Ichigo asked, "Well?"_

"_That's all I'm going to tell you."_

"_What?"_

"_I said that's all I'm going to tell you."_

_Ichigo gritted his teeth, a vain effort to control his seeping anger. "I'll pay you even more..." he tried to tempt the kid._

_The white-haired boy looked up defiantly at him and shook his head. "No."_

"_Why not?"_

"_Because I, Hitsugaya Toushirou will marry Orihime onee-san when I grow up, so I'm not going to help any guy who's interested in her."_

"_Y-you!"_

"_Now pay me my tip, mister."_

"_You arrogant brat!!"_

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Ichigo cursed again, his scowl etched deeper than it usually did. He'd been moody all day, and everyone else in the office tried their best avoiding him. Even Nel hadn't talked to him ever since he sent that kid, Hitsugaya Toushirou, away with quite a generous amount of money.

His hand went up to ruffle his already messy hair. He didn't want to seem so eager about seeing her again, that was the reason why he did what he did, so that it would appear as if they meet again by accident. Sadly, his initial plan failed.

Ichigo let out a frustrated groan. _That's it! It's time I put my ego and reputation aside. I don't care about anything else. I just want to see her again._

With that last thought, Ichigo grabbed his jacket and his car key. He stormed out of his office, startling Nel. He waved his hand at her, told her that he won't be returning to the office that day, his mind repeating the same thing over and over again.

_I'm going to find her, no matter what it takes… No matter where she may be…_

* * * * *

Orihime spent her days in the chocolate shop the whole day. She didn't have class so she decided to help Mama Rangiku and Tatsuki-chan at the shop. However, some time in the afternoon, Mama Rangiku had left, telling them she had an appointment with a customer. Shortly afterwards, Tatsuki-chan went out as well, claiming she needed fresh air so she wanted to go to the park.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Orihime had asked her, to which Tatsuki-chan had replied by shaking her head and then walked outside, leaving Orihime alone at the shop.

She had gotten very bored then, after baking trays after trays of chocolate chip cookies. She was mixing her last bowl of dough, and secretly wishing she could add some _wasabi_ into the mixture, when a car pulled off right outside the shop.

An orange-haired man emerged from the car but she didn't notice because she was too busy thinking of other _unique_ ingredients that could be added to the dough she was making, not that she could but it never hurt to imagine. She didn't even notice he'd entered the shop and walked over slowly to the counter where she was working on, a smirk clearly visible on his face.

* * * * *

Ichigo watched the auburn-haired beauty, a small smile forming on his lips. _Found ya!_

She appeared to be concentrating on making the dough with one hand holding the bowl while the other was rotating a whisk halfheartedly, as if she was no longer interested. She was clearly unaware of his presence. _Beautiful_, he thought, as his gaze traveled all over her body, then lingered for a few moments on her sexily pouted lips.

Slowly, he walked over to her.

"Hey…"

Startled, she looked up. When their eyes met, she gasped, her large gray eyes went wide with shock. The whisk dropped from her grasp, clattering against the bowl.

_She still looks drop dead gorgeous even when she's gaping like that_, Ichigo mused.

"Hey," Ichigo repeated.

Orihime wiped her hands on her apron, and brushed away a few strands of hair plastered on her sweaty forehead, suddenly feeling very self-conscious about her looks at the moment. "Hi," she greeted softly.

"I'm sorry if I startled you."

"No, no. It's okay."

She started to clean up – picking things and throwing them into the sink – because she didn't know what else to do. Her heart had started to beat at a much faster pace than it normally did, so she had to do something, _anything_, to calm it down.

Ichigo watched silently as the woman before him flustered around the little shop, his smirk never leaving his face. She avoided his gaze, knowing that if her eyes caught his, he notice that she was nervous.

"Is this how you treat your customers? 'Cause if you did, it's not going to be good for your business."

She stopped, and looked up at him. Their eyes met for the second time, and she blushed involuntarily "I-I'm sorry," she stuttered.

He moved forward slowly, afraid that any sudden movement from him would scare her. "So, I would like to place my order now."

"Okay," she answered as she grabbed a small notebook and a pen on the counter. "What would you like to order, sir?"

"I think I would like to have the most special thing in this shop, please."

Orihime scribbled something on the notebook, "I see. Would that be our special; the Elite Gold Gift Box, sir?"

"Emm… no. _That_ would be you."

"Excuse me?"

"You. I said I wanted the most special thing in this shop. And you're it."

"I…"

"I'd like to have a date with you."

This time, she dropped the notebook and pen she was holding. Her heart was now practically pounding against her chest that she felt as if she could hear it thumping sound.

She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out.

"Tomorrow. I'll pick you up at 7.00 in the evening."

"I-I… I have a late class tomorrow."

"Then I'll pick you up there. Where do you study?"

"Wait! I hadn't even said yes."

"I know you're going to say yes."

"I-I…"

Ichigo walked over to her. Orihime instinctively brought her hand to her chest, as if shielding herself against Ichigo, his tall frame now towering over her. Then, he bent over slightly and whispered in her ear, she could feel his warm breath against the side of her face, and suddenly, she forgot how to breathe.

"You know, there's no use running away from me, 'cause I'll find you. I'll _always_ find you."

"I wasn't planning on running away."

"Good," Ichigo muttered as he pulled away slightly from her. "So, does that means a yes?" he asked teasingly.

"If that would stop you from chasing after me, yes."

Ichigo smirked. _She's a stubborn one as well, huh?_ "It's too early to promise anything. Besides, _you _might be the one chasing after me once we've had that date."

"_That_ will never happen," Orihime retorted, albeit unconvincingly.

"We'll see."

"It won't happen," Orihime repeated stubbornly.

Ichigo let out a small laugh, and to Orihime's surprise, pinched her nose lightly, causing her to blush madly. "Quit being so stubborn," he told her. "Now, do you mind telling me your name? I'd hate to have a nameless date. You told me if I want to know your name, I'd have to find you first. So, now that I've found you, it's time for you to tell me your name."

Despite herself, Orihime smiled. _He's a very determined man_, she thought. "It's Inoue. Inoue Orihime."

Again, Ichigo did something surprising. He knelt before her, took her right hand and planted a small kiss on the back of her hand. Startled, she went red. She felt a shiver ran down her spine when his warm lips made contact against her skin.

"It's a pleasure to finally know your name, my beautiful princess. My name is Kurosaki Ichigo," he said.

Orihime laughed, and it was the most beautiful sound Ichigo had ever heard. "You're funny," she told him, and pulled her hand gently.

Ichigo stood up and smiled warmly at her, "Anything for your pleasure. Anything to keep you smiling and laughing like you did."

"Looks like I've found my own personal jester."

Ichigo bowed and waved his hand, acting like some performers at the end of a successful show. "Anything for you, Inoue."

_Anything at all…_

* * * * *

Tatsuki kicked on the ground, feeling frustrated. She'd thought walking in the park would help her forgetting the disturbing scene she saw last night – Orihime and Ishida holding hands, _oh, what a cruel sight that was_ – but it didn't help at all.

Instead, watching the kids played at the park, she kept remembering the times when she and Orihime were at the same age. If it weren't for Orihime, she would have grown up in the orphanage. After she lost her parents in the fire, Orihime begged Mama Rangiku to let her stay with them. She owed Orihime a lot, she was aware of that.

_So does that mean she would have to sacrifice her feelings for Ishida, if Orihime and Ishida like each other?_

Tatsuki shook her head, refusing to answer the question she asked herself. This was the first time she actually liked a guy, she usually never paid any attention to them. At first she had thought it was just a crush, but the more she saw him, the deeper her feelings grow. And last night, last night, when she saw them… It felt like someone had stabbed her heart, because it hurt. _It hurt so much…_

* * * * *

"Ichigo!"

The raven-haired woman ran up the stairs, taking two steps at a time. She had just arrived at the house, and she was looking for her best friend.

"Ichigo!" she called out again and swung open his bedroom door.

Three pairs of eyes stared back at her, but none of them belonged to the person she was looking for. "Oh, it's you guys. Where's Ichigo?"

"Rukia-chan! We haven't seen you for a while. Come, come and join us. We're just playing Monopoly," Mizuiro said to her, waving his hand.

Rukia joined them and sat on the floor. "Where's Ichigo?" she repeated.

Chad handed her the dice. She shook them inside her closed hand.

"We haven't seen him for ages," Keigo answered her question. "Mizuiro called him earlier. He told us he's at work."

Rukia threw the pair of dice; one displayed three dots, while the other five. She bent over to move her metal piece eight spaces. "That's weird," she muttered.

"What's weird?"

"Ichigo. He hated going to the office."

Mizuiro and Keigo shrugged simultaneously. Chad, however, remained expressionless.

"Did something happen?" Rukia asked Mizuiro, to which the latter replied by shaking his head.

It was Keigo's turn now. He threw up the dice, and ended up landing on Chad's property on the board. Chad held out his hand, and Keigo paid him with the paper money, after he whined about how luck could be so unfair.

"Something must have happened," Rukia said to herself.

"Enough about Ichigo. We haven't heard from you for a while now, Rukia-chan," Mizuiro said, to which Chad grunted an agreement.

"What about me?"

"Well, we heard you broke up with Kaien, and that you're spending a lot of times with a new guy," Keigo answered her, raising an eyebrow teasingly.

"Wow, words travel fast around here."

Chad opened his mouth for the first time, "Our people are everywhere."

"Unfortunately. And yes, I did broke up with Kaien. And… I did spend some times with someone else lately."

"Is he human?"

Rukia looked over at Mizuiro. "Yes."

"Rukia-chan…"

"Don't start, Mizuiro, okay? I know what I'm doing."

"You know we should never get involved with humans."

"Says who, Mizuiro?"

Mizuiro sighed. _This girl never learns her lesson_.

"You can't make your heart picks what's good for you."

"Does that mean you like this new man?" Keigo asked her.

"I think so. I enjoyed spending time with him."

Mizuiro looked at her sternly, "Just make sure your relationship to him wouldn't jeopardize our safety."

"I'm not that stupid."

"Good," Mizuiro muttered. Keigo smiled understandingly at her while Chad flashed his trademark 'OK' sign.

_Yeah, sometimes, you can't make your heart picks what's good for you…_

* * * * *

After Ichigo left, Orihime collapsed on the floor, relieved and disappointed at the same time, the swirling emotions were too much for her. She was relieved because she felt as if she was holding her breath the whole time she was with him. And she was disappointed because, as hard as it was for her to be around him, she couldn't help feeling like she wanted more.

She was heady, dizzy, excited, scared and guilty all at the same time. Her conscience kept telling her that what she's doing was wrong but her heart, _oh her stubborn heart_, just wouldn't listen. She got up, staggered slowly towards the living room and plopped herself on the sofa.

_I'll just go with the flow for now. I'll stop myself before I get too involved with him_, she told herself. _He made me feel things I've never felt before, and I want to fell more, I need to feel more_…

* * * * *

Later that day, as the clock struck two in the morning, when most of the residents of Karakura were fast asleep under the warmth of their blankets, in a dark and secluded alley, a shadow moved.

A woman dressed only in her nightgown limped in the alley. She looked behind her back, her eyes wide and bloodshot. Her feet were bare and an open wound clearly visible on her right leg, blood gushing from it, leaving traces of red liquid. She was crying and her breath was heavy, her hair wet with sweat.

She looked back again. She was tired. She had been running all the way from her house and her legs had started to feel very heavy, as if she was carrying tons of weight in them.

A rustling sound came from beneath the heaps of trash in the corner of the alley, shocking her. With eyes wide with fear, she looked in the direction of the sound, bracing for whatever creatures that might pop up from beneath that heap.

A small, hairy creature dashed across towards her. She screamed, stepped backwards, and her injured leg betrayed her. She tripped and fell on her bottom. The sewer rat ran back and disappeared beneath the heap of trash it came from.

She tried to get up, and winced in pain. Not only had she gotten her leg injured, her bottom was hurting now as well. She pushed up again with her hands planted firmly on the hard concrete, but failed again. She began to sob, and that was when she heard a growl coming from behind her. An animal's growl.

She looked back, and started to whimper in fear when she saw a pair of glowing eyes a few meters away from her.

"No, no, no, no…" she sobbed and tried to get up again, only to fall flat on her bottom again, so she began to crawl, trying to get as far as she could from the pair of eyes behind her.

As she crawled away, the shadow behind her – the owner of the pair of eyes – inched forward slowly, closing their distance. She could hear its growl growing louder and louder.

"Please…" she begged, to no one in particular. Maybe to God, because a creature worse than the demons was now chasing her and it will not stop at nothing until it had feasted upon her, she could tell, because she saw how it licked its bloodied claws hungrily after it wounded her.

The creature was now right behind her. She turned around and true enough, its large shadow was now looming behind her.

"Please, don't kill me…" she begged helplessly.

The creature paid no heed whatsoever to her begging. Instead, it opened it mouth and howled loudly, revealing its monstrous, sharp teeth. "Oh God…" she whispered, her body trembling with fear.

Tears flooded her eyes. The creature moved again. It was now on top of her, pinning her body against the rough concrete, its claws gripping her hands, buried deep into her flesh.

She could smell its foul breath now, and drops of saliva fell upon her face. She cried, disgusted and feeling hopeless at the same time. "No…" she croaked, and closed her eyes. She was going to die tonight, she knew, and there was nothing, nothing at all that she could do to fight that disgusting monster.

She kept her eyes shut as the creature let out a deafening roar one last time and sunk its claws into her guts. She screamed in pain but it soon faded. Her body twitched for a few seconds before it went still.

And if someone had been in the alley at that point of time, he or she could clearly hear the sound of the woman's guts ripped and her insides being torn away from her body. Her killer stayed there for a while, as it feasted upon its prey, undisturbed, her blood smeared all over its face and furs.

Yes, the killings had grown more rapid. Once it tasted the sweet taste of the human blood or their tender flesh, it kept craving for more. _More, and more…_

* * *

**Author's Note :** Yay! Another quick update. Yay! Ichigo and Orihima finally get to meet again, and Ichigo had asked her for a date so that means more IchiHime in the next chapter! I hope that IchiHime scene didn't disappoint all you IchiHime lovers. I tried to keep them in character as much as I could. So, Dear Readers, read, enjoy the story and review please!! XD

BTW, _jester_ means a royal entertainer (telling jokes, clown around, etc.) or in other word, 'a professional fool', whose job is to make people laugh and to entertain them. Since Ichigo called her princess, and Orihime thought he's funny. so she jokingly said he's her personal jester.


	8. ACT VIII : Take a Leap of Faith

**Disclaimer :** I don't own Bleach.

**Warning :** Blood and gore, people.

* * *

Another call was made to the Covert-Ops Squad. Another death. Another body was discovered in a secluded alley. A garbage collector had discovered the body by accident when he went to that particular alley to perform his daily duty.

Renji and Yumichika were manning the office. Renji answered the call. Without any words spoken, they went inside Renji's car and made their way to the crime scene. They remained silent on their way there, both were to shocked to talk. This would be the fifth death reported. They hadn't even made any progress on the previous four killings and now another body showed up.

Renji pulled up by the road not far from the alley mentioned in the call. He gunned off the engine and said, "Here we are."

They got out of the car and walked over to the crime scene. Renji falling behind Yumichika as he'd paused to lock his car. They could see several uniformed policeman guarding the area, holding their guns tightly to their chests.

There were also a few more people, the crime scene investigators, combing the area for any possible clues left behind by the killer.

"They're pretty quick this time," Yumichika commented, addressing the lab people.

"Yeah."

Moving closer towards the crime scene, Yumichika's nose caught a whiff of an unpleasant smell. The nauseating smell of blood, mixed with the rotten smell of trash along the alley. He fought hard not to barf.

"You okay?" Renji asked, concerned at how pale Yumichika was.

"I'm fine. It's just the smell."

"I know. I thought I've smelt the worst, but this one is beyond that."

They walked closer, and Yumichika saw something that looked suspiciously like the remains of a human's flesh on the surface of the alley. "Oh God…" he whispered.

Renji said nothing. He saw what Yumichika had saw, and that was undoubtedly what remained of the victim.

Yumichika brought his hand to cover his nose and mouth. The smell was getting more and more unbearable. He moved forward, keeping his sight on the red lumps scattered all over the alley. Then, he stepped on something sticky and it made a squishy sound when his hard shoe crushed whatever it was on the ground. He stopped, and lifted up his leg, revealing what it was he had stepped on.

"Oh, shit!! I did not just stepped on a piece of someone's liver! Oh God, how am I going to clean my shoe? I shouldn't have come here! Oh, shit!"

"Quit your whining, Yumichika!" an angry voice snapped at him. It was Madarame Ikkaku, who was bent over, methodically collecting pieces of the victim and putting them into a plastic bag.

Yumichika shut his quivering mouth and followed Renji, walking over to Ikkaku's side.

"Why is it that you're always the first one arriving at a crime scene?" Renji asked the bald man as soon as they reached his side.

"What can I say? Murders intrigue me."

"You're just sick."

"Yeah, who in their right mind could enjoy being around _this?_," Yumichika said with a disgusted look on his face.

"Aside from me? The killer, obviously. 'Cause he's killing more and more frequently now, and as you can see, this one is unmistakably more brutal than the last one."

Renji glanced around. It was bad, and it was messy. The alley was splattered with blood and chunks of human flesh; from the victim, no doubt. Rats and cockroaches scurried around from beneath the heap of uncollected trash.

"Where's the body?" Renji asked, although deep in his heart, he knew what the answer would be.

"Can't you see what I'm collecting, Abarai?"

Yumichika scrunched his nose in disgust. "What? That's so ugly!"

"Murders are never beautiful. The killer must have gotten very pissed off this time, or maybe too excited, because the victim was ripped off into tiny pieces, poor thing. The head was the only one that remained in one piece. The coroner's taken it to the morgue."

"Shit…"

"I know. Pretty sick, huh?"

"How can you guys talk so calmly at a disgusting place like this? I can't stand this. I'm leaving!" Yumichika said and began to walk away.

"That idiot… I wonder why he became a cop in the first place," Ikkaku muttered as he paused collecting the pieces, and stared at his friend.

"Ayasegawa!! Where the hell are you going? Get your butt over here!!"

_Uh-oh_.

Renji turned around at the direction of the voice, "Is that Captain Soi-Fon?"

"Yup."

"What is she doing here?"

"She arrived a few minutes earlier than you guys. She went to examine the perimeter, trying to determine where the victim came from."

The small woman was walking towards them, her face contorted in anger as her gaze never wavered from a very scared Yumichika, who jogged towards them as well.

"Captain Soi-Fon!" the three of them greeted in unison.

"If you have time to talk, why don't use it to find out the killer?"

"Yes, Captain!!"

"Then why are you standing like fools there? Get your butts moving NOW!!"

"Y-yes, Captain!!"

_Ah… No one dares to stand the wrath of Captain Soi-Fon…_

* * * * *

For some stupid reason, Orihime found herself couldn't concentrate in class that day. She was supposed to have meeting with Ishida and Rukia to discuss on their assignment but Rukia had called and asked to reschedule their meeting. She even missed the class. Orihime had thought she could use that meeting as an excuse to cancel her date with that orange-haired man, but now that the meeting was postponed…

Yesterday, she had been excited about the date. However, when she woke up this morning, she was ridden with guilt. She was already engaged to someone else, and she should avoid seeing another man. _That's it! I'm going to tell him to stop bothering me as soon as I see him later!_

"That's all for today's lecture. Be sure to work on your assignment!" the lecturer reminded them before leaving the lecture hall.

Orihime gathered her stuffs with shaky hands, her mind occupied with plans on how she could cancel her date with Ichigo. Ishida, who was sitting a few rows away from her, stopped by her seat.

"Inoue-san, would you like to grab something to eat before heading home?"

"Ah, Ishida-kun! I'm sorry, but I-I already have plans," she stuttered, guilt spreading inside her once again.

"Oh, it's okay. Has your fiancé returned from his business trip, then?"

"Y-yes."

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow, then."

Ishida smiled kindly at her and began walking, but his steps halted when he heard she called out to him. "Ishida-kun!"

Ishida turned around.

"Maybe Tatsuki-chan would like to have dinner with you. Why don't you ask her?"

Ishida was taken aback, and for a moment, Orihime regretted saying what she said earlier. But then, Ishida smiled, "I'll ask her for dinner some other time," he told her.

"Great! I'll see you tomorrow, Ishida-kun!"

_At least I'm able to do something good today…_

* * * * *

Orihime sneaked out of the university's gate, hiding among the swarms of people walking in and out of the building. She figured if she could just escape unseen, she wouldn't have to face that mysterious man, at least not today. She covered her head with her bag, glanced around, and began jogging away from the building.

"Where are you going?"

She stopped at the sound of the voice. It's him, she thought, turning around slowly towards the direction of the voice, her fingers clutching her bag tightly.

Sure enough, there he was, leaning against the wall with his hands shoved in his pocket. His bright orange hair stood out against the black jacket he wore over his T-shirt. One thing that caught her eyes was his deep scowling mouth, which made him seemed almost _sexy_ to her.

_Stop it! What am I thinking?_

"Where are you going?" he repeated, his scowl etched even deeper on his face.

_He looks so funny_, Orihime thought, and suddenly, she began giggling. Ichigo shot her a questioning look and she burst out laughing.

Ichigo ruffled his messy hair, "What's so funny?"

"You."

"What?"

"I'm sorry." Orihime cleared her throat, "I shouldn't have laughed like that. It's just that, your face is so funny."

Ichigo scratched the back of his neck, somehow feeling oddly embarrassed but at the same time, pleased by her remark, "It's okay, I guess. But no one had ever told me I looked funny before."

"I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. Are you ready?"

Her laughs ceased, "Ready for what?"

"Our date."

_No. No. Say no!_ "Yes."

"Great."

She watched as his scowling mouth curled up to form a smile, and his furrowed brows relaxed. _He looks happy when I sad yes_, she thought, and she flashed a bright smile at him. "Great," she echoed.

Ichigo reached and grabbed her hand. "This will be one date you couldn't forget," he told her, his smile widened.

Hand in hand, they began walking away.

* * * * *

She had expected him to take her to a restaurant and have dinner, like any normal dates she'd had before. But to her surprise, he brought her up on a rooftop.

"What are we doing here?" she asked, puzzled.

"I want to take you on a special tour around Karakura tonight."

"But I'm from this town. Why do I need a special tour?"

"It'll be exciting. I promise you."

Ichigo squatted in front of the baffled woman, "Get on my back."

"Eh?"

"Get on. Don't be scared," Ichigo urged.

"O-okay."

Slowly, she wrapped her hands around his neck, her heart now pounding loudly as her body made contact against his strong, muscular back.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Mm…"

He got up as his hands grabbed her legs, wrapping them firmly around his waist.

"Sorry…" she muttered suddenly.

"Why?"

"I-I'm heavy…"

"Oh, don't worry about that. You're not as heavy as I thought you might be," came his reply, causing the auburn-haired woman to blush madly. She was grateful that he wasn't able to see her face at that very moment.

"Are you blushing?"

"What? H-how do you know that?"

Ichigo laughed, and it sounded so melodic to her ears. "It's just a wild guess. Don't worry, you're not heavy at all. You're so easy to tease, though."

"I am?"

Ichigo laughed again. _This woman is so cutely clueless at times_, he thought as he tightened his grip on her legs. "Hold on tight."

"Y-yes."

"Here we go!" Ichigo shouted and leaped forward.

* * * * *

Her voice was hoarse from all the screaming she'd done. Her hands and legs had started to feel numb, and her heart felt like it was about to burst out anytime.

When he had first jumped off the roof, she screamed for dear life, her heart skipped a beat as she felt the wind blowing against her face. I'm going to die, she thought, but then his feet landed firmly on the rooftop of another building, next to the first one.

"Oh my God…" she whispered through her trembling lips.

"Isn't it fun?" he asked her.

She opened her mouth to protest but he'd already jumped forward again to the next building. She closed her eyes and hugged him tighter, her embarrassment earlier over their physical contact no longer remembered.

He leaped from one building to another, she could no longer count how many because she was too busy laughing and screaming, enjoying every moment. At first, she was screaming because she was scared but by the time they landed on their last stop, she was laughing so hard, her heart pounding in exhilaration.

Ichigo landed effortlessly on the last building, smiling as he heard the woman behind him screamed one last time before she started laughing.

"Here we are," he told her softly as he lowered his body and released his grip on her legs slowly, letting go once he made sure her feet was firmly placed on the concrete building.

Still laughing, she got off from his back. He turned around and saw her swaying on her feet.

"Whoa, easy there," he said and grabbed her arms, steadying her.

She stopped laughing and looked up at him, her large eyes was shining brightly under the moonlight, her face flushed with excitement. He reached out his hand and wiped away few strands of hair covering her face. As he did so, his calloused palm touched her cheek and she gasped. He smirked. _She's so beautiful_, he thought.

"Are you okay?" he asked her.

"Honestly, I've never felt this good."

"Glad to hear that."

Slowly, he let go of her arms, his eyes locked intensely on her. "You know, you were always laughing and smiling, but I've never seen your eyes shine like they do right now."

She gave him a questioning look.

"You look like you're missing something in your life," he continued.

_Why does he sound like he could read me clearly?_

He smirked down at her, his intense gaze still locked onto hers. "Keep them shining. They're more beautiful that way."

Her lips remained still.

"For me," he whispered loud enough for her to hear and began walking away from her.

Scared of being left alone up there, she called out to him, "Wait, Kurosaki-kun! Where are you going?"

"I'm not leaving you, if that's what you're worried about," he answered, and she looked down, embarrassed. "I brought dinner up here earlier. Come here, I'm starving, and I bet you are too."

The realization suddenly dawned in on her as he watched him slowly sat on the edge of the building, his legs dangling. She was up on the tallest building in Karakura. If she fell down from this height, she would crack open her skull and Onii-chan, Mama Rangiku and Tatsuki-chan would be so upset…

"Oi, Inoue! What are you doing there? Come over here and eat dinner!"

"I-I can't…"

"What?"

"I-I'm scared of heights."

Ichigo slapped his forehead, "Why didn't you said so earlier?" He got up, and walked calmly towards her. "I wouldn't have brought you up here if I know it."

"But you looked fine just now," he added, raising an eyebrow.

"T-that's because I had you to hold on to," she admitted shyly.

He took her hands in his as soon as he reached her. "I got you. Don't worry," he said calmly and began pulling her hands softly.

"No…"

"I won't let you go. I promise…"

She looked up at him and saw his eyes, and that was all the assurance she needed. He began moving backwards and she followed him with trembling legs. She was too scared to look down, so she kept her eyes locked with him, drawing strength from his intense amber gaze. They moved in an agonizingly slow pace and after what seemed like forever to her, they arrived at the spot he was sitting on earlier.

"Here we are," he told her.

She nodded in silence.

"Now, sit down slowly," he told her, before adding, "Remember, I won't let you go."

Orihime didn't know why, but she believed his words. She believed in him. She believed that he wouldn't let go of her, believed that he wouldn't let her fall. Slowly, she lowered herself, making sure her hands were still holding his as she did, and her eyes caught sight of the ground far down – the cars moving on the street below seemed like small dots on a game board from up there – and sat down with her legs dangled like his before. She let out a relieved sigh. _I made it!_

"Good girl," he mouthed as he took his spot next to her.

She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, "Don't ever make me do that. Ever again."

Ichigo laughed, "But you did fine. And I told you I'll never let you go."

She opened her eyes and looked straight at him, "I know."

Ichigo smiled, _he seemed to be smiling a lot around her_. "You have to learn to enjoy life. Be honest, how often you've felt what you feel tonight?"

She pretended to think. "Never…"

"Yeah, never did I."

They started laughing at his remark. Ichigo leaned backward and grabbed the box of pizza he'd left up there earlier. He opened the box and hand over a slice to the gaping woman beside him.

"What?"

"Pizza? We came all the way up here to have pizza?" she laughed.

"Why? What's wrong with pizza?"

She shook her head, still laughing. "You're right about one thing. This is the most extraordinary date I ever had."

"Does that mean you date around a lot?"

"N-no!"

"You sounded guilty…"

"I-I'm not!"

"Okay, okay. I'm just kidding. Don't get so worked up."

Embarrassed, Orihime looked down and started biting into her slice of pizza. _Why did I say that?_

"You know, you should start looking up and appreciate the view in front of you."

"What? O-okay…"

Ichigo smirked as he watched her gazed into the distance. _She's so different from other women I've met…She's sweet, naive, clueless, and very, very beautiful..._

"Ah!"

"What happened? Are you hurt?" Ichigo asked, scared because of her scream.

"No. I'm okay. I just saw my house," she said and pointed her finger excitedly.

"Yeah…"

"It looked so small from here," she whispered. "Look! There's my university building!" she exclaimed, pointing further to the west this time.

_She looks like an innocent child… A beautiful, innocent child…_

"Kurosaki-kun…"

"Hm?"

"Thank you so much, for bringing me here."

"Hm…"

"If it weren't for you, I wouldn't know that Karakura is this beautiful at night."

_Not as beautiful as you are right now…_ "Hm…"

"Why do you keep saying 'hm'?"

"Because I want to. Now, stop looking at me and eat up."

"Okay, Kurosaki-kun!"

That night, Orihime did have her most unforgettable date. It was from romantic, but she had a great time. They shared a box of pizza but to her, it was the most delicious meal she ever had. _But sadly, she won't be experiencing this ever again… She will stop seeing him after this date. She has to…_

* * * * *

Orihime arrived home half an hour after ten. She slipped silently through the front door, worried that someone would caught her coming home this late. Unsurprisingly, her brother was waiting for her, sitting on the sofa with a cigarette in his mouth.

"Onii-chan…"

"You're late."

"I-I'm sorry."

Ichigo had dropped her a few blocks away from home because she insisted so. He protested at first but she told him she didn't want to disturb her family so he gave in. _Onii-chan couldn't have known I was going out with him, couldn't he?_

Renji took in her flushed feature. She appeared to have been running, looking so red like that. "Please don't wander around at night anymore. It's dangerous."

"I won't," she said, convincing him with a bright smile.

Renji got up and ruffled her hair, "Have you eaten?"

"No…"

"I haven't either. Come, Mama left us some food in the kitchen."

He began making his way to the kitchen but he stopped when he felt her hand tugged at his sleeve.

"Onii-chan…"

"What is it?"

He couldn't see her face with her head bowing down, "I'm sorry if I made you worry…"

"What are you talking about?"

She looked up and he was shocked to see her eyes brimming with tears. "Orihime, what's wrong?" he panicked.

"I know I haven't been a good sister to you. I didn't listen to you and I made you worry for me all the time."

"Orihime…"

"I'll be a good sister from now on."

He grabbed her shoulders. "What is it? Is something wrong?"

She wiped away her tears. "It's nothing, I just feel like I need to change."

He tightened his grip on her shoulders, "You don't need to change anything. I love you just the way you are, and as a big brother, I'm supposed to look after you."

"Onii-chan…"

"So you don't have to worry about making me worried. Got it?"

She nodded, "Onii-chan, I love you…"

"I know. Now let's eat, I'm starving."

* * * * *

Ichigo arrived home with a smile plastered on his face, but unlike Orihime, no one was waiting for him in the living room.

He went to the kitchen, grabbed a bottle of water and head over to his bedroom, his smile never leaving his face. He hummed a tune as he undressed and went into the shower to take a quick bath.

Changed into his pajamas, he poured a glass of water from the bottle he brought up as he stared at a framed picture by his bedside. It was the same picture as the one he kept in his office. He started talking to the people in the picture.

He began telling them story about a woman named Inoue Orihime. He described how beautiful she was to his family and how she made him smiled and laughed like no one else did. He told them how he wished he could introduce her to them. He was sure they would like her had they been alive. _Had they been alive…_

With a sigh, he set the frame on the side table, and drank his glass of water. Then he turned off the lamp and closed his eyes, wishing that he'll meet her again in his dream…

"Good night, Inoue…" he whispered into the dark.

* * *

**Author's Note :** Yay! Chapter 8 is finally here and there's more IchiHime in this scene! XD I've uploaded two new stories (one is a one-shot), and updated this story, and I'm so proud of myself for working hard! =)

Well, this chapter showed how Orihime is feeling guilty about seeing Ichigo and wanted to stay away from him, but failed because she is attracted to him as much as he is attracted to her! That was why she was so sad in that scene with Renji, because she knew Renji would be disappointed with her if he finds out about Ichigo. And I love Renji being Orihime's big brother. I re-watched the anime, the beginning of Bounto arc and I fell so sad because Orihime missed Sora so much. But in my story, she still have a loving and caring Onii-chan; Renji.

And when I wrote Ichigo's scene talking to his deceased family, I felt very sad as well. Poor Ichigo. And the next chapter is going to be Ichigo's backstory! It'll all be explained; how he lost his family and why couldn't he transform into his animal form! I already have the outline for Chapter 9, so it'll be up next week, if I'm not too busy with work. So, to all you lovely people who read this story, review please! XD


	9. ACT IX : Full Moon

**Disclaimer : **I don't own Bleach. I also quoted from Rudyard Kipling's The Law of The Jungle, taken from The Jungle Book.

**Warning :** Violence and characters deaths.

* * *

_**"Ye may kill for yourselves, and your mates,**_

_**and your cubs as they need, and ye can;**_

_**But kill not for pleasure of killing,**_

_**and seven times never kill Man!"**_

**[Rudyard Kipling, The Law of The Jungle]**

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When the moon was at it fullest, that was the night of The Hunting.

And on one fateful night of The Hunting, Kurosaki Ichigo had made the biggest mistake in his life and it had cost more than his will to transform. He had lost the most valuable treasure in a man's life; his family.

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_Ichigo lied on his bed. It was way past ten, and he was supposed to be sleeping right now. But he couldn't close his eyes. He kept staring at his window – he'd yanked the curtain apart – and the moon was clearly visible from where he was. The bright, round moon looked so beautiful, so tempting, and he felt a yearning inside of him, the urge to run outside and howl, telling it of its exquisite beauty._

_The small boy tossed and turned in his bed. He tilted his head to listen to his twin sisters sleeping in the next room. He could hear nothing except for the sound of their soft snoring. A small smile played on the corner of his lips as he pictured the twins, Kurosaki Karin and Kurosaki Yuzu. _

_The twins were a few years younger than him, and both were totally different; in both their looks and their personalities. Karin had dark hair. She looked like a boy and acted like one as well. She loved football and sometimes, she could be cynical and sarcastic. Secretly, Ichigo thought she was similar to their father. Yuzu, however, was pretty much like their mother, Kurosaki Masaki. She had light brown hair, similar to their mother. She was soft-spoken, enjoyed helping in the kitchen, and she had a smile that would brighten anyone's day._

_Despite their differences, Ichigo loved them just the same._

_But he still loved his mother the most of all. To him, she was the most beautiful woman on earth; with her soft, flowing hair and her infectious smile. She was like the center of their universe, and their lives revolved around her; his, his father's, Karin's and Yuzu's. She was the sun radiating its' warmth to the people around her._

_How a beautiful person could ever fell for his father was beyond Ichigo._

_To Ichigo, Kurosaki Isshin is the weirdest man around. He enjoyed "bonding" with his little son. And how did he do it? By attacking him every morning and whenever he thought his orange-haired boy was off-guard, which was totally different to how he treated his daughters. He would kiss and hug them, and sometimes, even if he hated to admit it, Ichigo felt jealous. And he would often clowned around the house, much to his children's chagrin._

_As strange as that man was, he was the leader of their pack, and a well-respected one. Ichigo wished he could grow up to be exactly like his father, minus that clowning around part, of course. And if he were to have a son, he wouldn't beat his son like his father usually did._

_Ichigo closed his eyes, willing sleep to take over. But seconds later, they fluttered open._

_Night of The Hunting._

_He had always wanted to know what happened during The Hunting. He once begged his father to take him along on one of those nights, but Isshin strictly refused._

"_Wait until you've come of age," his father said._

"_Why?" he'd asked, his amber eyes full with curiosity._

"_Because you have to gain your animal form first before you can join The Hunting."_

_Yes. The werewolves were born with the ability to transform, but it was dormant. They had to awaken the ability, then learn and master the skill of transformation. And normally, the ability awakened once they reached puberty._

_But Ichigo's ability had awakened a few months ago. He hadn't told anyone about this. Not even his best friend Rukia._

_Ichigo tossed away his comforter and crept out of bed. He grabbed his jacket and tiptoed out of his room. He paused when he reached the twins' door. He opened the door and peeked. His sisters were fast asleep with their hands wrapping around each other. Smiling, he closed the door carefully, and made his way down the stairs._

_His mother and father were not around. They had left for The Hunting, after his father gave him a nice goodbye present – a punch in the little boy's face._

_As soon as he reached the end of the stairs, Ichigo stormed out of the house, his heart beating excitedly at the thought of finally being able to run open and freely under the brightly glowing full moon._

* * * * *

_Ichigo went straight to the beach._

_The moon was even more beautiful from where he was standing at that moment. He closed his eyes, felt the wind blowing against his face, and listened to the sound of waves hitting the shore._

_He drew in a long breath._

_And when he opened his eyes, his irises were no longer amber. It was red._

_He began removing his clothes. First, he took off his jacket, then his t-shirt, his jeans and finally, his boxer. The clothes pooled around his leg, and he was now standing completely naked._

_He tilted his head to stare at the moon, and as he did, he began to feel a surge of power boiling inside him. It grew stronger with every passing second. He shuddered as he felt fur growing all over his body._

_Then came the first ripple in his bones. His whole body tensed as the changes began. His fingers began lengthening, his nails sprouting, as his legs buckle and he fell on all four, his arms becoming his front legs. The changes continued; his teeth sharpening and his jaw extending._

_After the last pain resulting from the transformation, came the euphoric release._

_He was now in his complete animal form, his bright orange fur glistened under the moonlight. His eyes returned to their original color._

_He opened his mouth and howled._

* * * * *

_He always loved running._

_He loved to feel the ground shaking beneath his feet. He loved to feel the cold wind blowing against his face. More than anything, he loved the sense of freedom he experienced whenever he was running._

_He'd always been a fast runner, but when he transformed, he's an even faster runner. In his animal form, he was ten times stronger, hence ten times faster._

_Despite his age, in that form, he was much larger than those older than him. He was more muscular and definitely the strongest among the young ones in his pack. Perhaps it was because he was born to be the next leader. He was born to be a warrior, to be the one who will succeed his father._

_And as he ran along the empty beach, he really believed that. Under the star-filled sky, he felt great and strong._

_He was lost in the elated sensation that he forgot he'd violated his clan's rules. Ones that were being laid out by his own father._

_Rule one: to never hunt, harm, kill, or eat humans. Once werewolves tasted human's flesh, there was no turning back. They will become one of The Fallen, a cruel, heartless beast with an uncontrollable hunger for humans. Werewolves are hunters by nature, and from time to time, the need to hunt will arise. Whenever such urges arose, they were to hunt and feed on wild animals._

_Rule two: to never transform into their animal form when they were alone. They were to do so only if they were in groups, where the others could guard the area while some transform, so they could be sure that there was no unwanted company in the vicinity. The year was 1615, when witch-hunting was at large, and as creatures feared and deemed to be involved with demonic powers, they were constantly in danger of being caught and killed by the hunters. Should someone spotted them doing transformation, the whole pack could be in jeopardy._

_Which brought rule number three: to transform only when they needed to, for example, when their lives are threatened. And when they do, they had to be sure that it was never done in an open space._

_But he, in the course of one night, had violated both rule number two and three. And it had cost him the lives of his loved ones._

_* * * * *_

_He ran for hours. He didn't want to stop. He was enjoying every seconds._

_He stopped only when dawn closed in. When the moon started disappearing into the horizon and when he saw a streak of light coming from the early morning sun, he stopped._

_That was when reality hit him like a cold, hard brick. He'd abandoned his sisters, and his parents, especially his father, would be really pissed if they found out what he did._

_Panicking, he ran over to his clothes. In his rush, he began his change into his human form right there and then, completely unaware that a pair of eyes was watching him intently._

* * * * *

_Ichigo slowed his pace as he neared his house._

_An image of his angry father waiting for his return flashed across his mind, and he immediately shook the thought away. If luck was on his side, he might arrive home before his parents did._

_As the outline of his house grew clearer, he quickened his steps._

_But when his gaze fell on the figure waiting for him outside the house, his hand holding a lit cigarette, he stopped. He moved forward slowly, his heart thudding faster with every single movement he took._

"_Otou-san?" he called out cautiously to the man standing in front of him._

"_Hm…" Isshin replied, puffing on his cigarette, his eyes closed._

"_Are you waiting for me?"_

_Isshin opened his eyes and turned to look at his son. Ichigo winced, noticing the anger flashing in his father's eyes._

"_Where have you been?"_

_Isshin's voice was stern. Ichigo gulped. His father was always goofing around the house but when he was being serious, he could be really scary._

"_I-I~"_

"_Didn't I tell you to watch over your sisters?"_

"_Y-yes…"_

"_Then why did you leave them?"_

"_Otou-san…"_

"_Haven't I taught you anything about responsibility?"_

_Tears were brimming in the orange-haired boy's eyes._

"_Didn't I?" Isshin repeated, his voice firmer than before._

_Ichigo swallowed his saliva. It tasted like bile. "Y-yes~"_

"_Don't stutter!"_

_Ichigo could no longer control it. The tears were now flowing like a broken dam. "Yes, Otou-san…"_

"_Yet you still did what you did…"_

"_I-I~"_

"_I said DON'T stutter! I didn't raise a coward!" Isshin snapped._

"_I'm sorry, Otou-san."_

_Isshin was fighting his anger. He'd never let himself got mad in front of his family, but what Ichigo did was downright irresponsible. He was counting on his only son to take care of the girls, but when Masaki and he returned home, they discovered that Karin and Yuzu, still sleeping soundly, were left alone. To top things off, the front door was unlocked. What if something bad had happened to them?_

"_I'm sorry, Otou-san," Ichigo repeated. "I tried to sleep but I couldn't. So I went out to play. But I made sure that they were safely in bed before I left!"_

"_To play? Have you lost your mind? You can't sleep so you went out to play, leaving your sleeping sisters behind?"_

_Ichigo could only stare at his raging father, his lips quivering. He screwed up big time, he was aware of that._

"_Ichigo! Something! Anything could have happened to them, being left alone like that! Didn't you at least think of that?"_

_Ichigo's eyes went wide as the realization poured in, "I d-didn't realize that…"_

"_And you left the door unlocked? How irresponsible can you be?"_

_Ichigo threw himself on his knees and hugged his father's legs. He'd done something really bad. When he decided to leave the house, he was thinking of himself, of his needs. He never considered the effects his act might have brought upon his sisters._

"_I'm sorry, Otou-san, I'll never do it again…" he cried and pleaded at the same time, staring up at his fuming father. "Please…"_

_Isshin watched his son angrily. But when his eyes fell on his son's tear-streaked face, his gaze softened. Ichigo was his only son, and even though Isshin might not show it often, he loved that boy dearly. But he had done something wrong, and he deserved a punishment._

_Isshin lifted his hand. Ichigo closed his eyes, expecting his father to hit him. He gritted his teeth, anticipating the pain, but it never came. _

_Instead, his father's hand landed on his head and ruffled his hair lovingly._

_Ichigo looked up, his eyes wide with surprise. Isshin sighed, his heart breaking with love for the little boy gazing up at him. _

"_Otou-san?"_

_The corner of his father's mouth curled upwards, and Ichigo breathed a sigh of relief. "Don't ever do it again," Isshin reminded his son._

_The boy nodded enthusiastically._

"_And don't think I will let you go without punishments."_

_Icihigo nodded again, as he wiped his tears away. A wide grin began forming on his lips. He would gladly receive any sort of punishments than having his father feeling disappointed with him._

"_Now let's go inside. Your mother's worried about you."_

_Isshin held his hand out to him. Ichigo was reaching out his tiny hand to grasp it when he felt someone grabbed him from behind and yanked him backwards roughly. Startled, he screamed._

_Isshin spun around, shocked to hear his son's scream. "Ichigo?" he mouthed worriedly._

_And his heart sank when he noticed what was in front of him._

* * * * *

_There were a total of 20 men facing him. Hunters. Rifles slung across their shoulders._

_And the largest one of the lot was holding his wriggling son in his strong grip, his eyes glinting menacingly as he returned Isshin's gaze._

"_Let my son go," Isshin said calmly to the large man._

_The man said nothing. Instead, he covered the screaming boy's mouth with his large palm and took a few steps backwards, grinning challengingly at Isshin. _

_Two men stepped forward, taking the space occupied earlier by the large man. One of them was wearing cloak-like clothing, and he didn't carry a rifle like the others did. Instead, he was holding what appeared to be the Holy Bible in his hands. Must be a priest or something, Isshin thought._

_The rest positioned themselves on Isshin's right and left sides. Isshin was completely surrounded by the hunters._

"_Sir, please let my son go," Isshin repeated. "I believe he's done nothing wrong."_

"_Shut up, beast!" the man beside the priest barked._

_A nagging feeling began forming inside Isshin's heart when he heard that. Could it be that these men knew something about him? Was it possible that they already knew the fact that he was a werewolf?_

"_Sir…"_

_The priest reached inside his cloak and took out a large wooden cross. He held the cross and the Holy Bible in front of him, his gaze focused intently on Isshin. "There is no place for evil upon this holy land of the Lord! My fellow devoted men, let Mother Earth be rid of this demon!"_

"_Wait~"_

"_What, demon?" the priest snarled angrily._

"_I don't know what is going on here, but I can assure you, you are wrong. I am just an ordinary father working in the city to feed my family. I'd done nothing wrong and my son~"_

_The priest yanked Ichigo from his friend's grip. "Don't think you can deceive us with such fooleries! We witnessed your child's transformation into an unspeakable beast!"_

_Shocked, Isshin turned his gaze towards his trembling son. _

_Ichigo had stopped screaming, his eyes went wide at the priest's words. His whole body was trembling now, he realized he'd done something wrong and was putting his family in danger._

"_Did you transform?" Isshin asked slowly, hoping that Ichigo would say no._

_But there was no answer. Ichigo was merely staring at his father, fear reflected in his amber gaze._

"_DID YOU?!" Isshin roared._

_Ichigo began crying again. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…" he sobbed._

_Right at that moment, Isshin knew, there was no possible peaceful solution to the problem his son had caused. As much as he hated fighting, he had to do it to keep his family safe._

"_I have no other choice then," Isshin muttered. He took his stance, getting ready to change when he felt something cold and hard coiled around his body._

_His hands pinned to his sides, Isshin stared down and realized that his body was wrapped tightly with a chain. In his rage towards his son, he hadn't realized the hunters to his right had thrown a chain at him._

_To make things worst, it was a silver chain._

* * * * *

_Ichigo watched in horror as his father doubled over in pain, his face hitting the hard ground. He watched, as the silver chain seemed to burn through the fabric of Isshin's shirt. The smell of charred flesh filled the air and Ichigo saw red lines appeared along the areas of Isshin's skin where the silver chain touched._

"_Otou-san…"_

_Isshin tried to get up but the chain drew all the strength away from him. It wasn't because it was too tight, it was simply because of the damaging effect of silver upon werewolves. He moved his hands, causing the silver chain to burn deeper into his flesh. Isshin screamed. The pain was unbearable._

_At that moment, the door swung open and Masaki rushed outside, alerted by her husband's scream. She gasped when she saw Isshin lying on the ground and made her way to his side, falling on her knees as soon as she did._

"_Honey…" she cried._

_Suddenly, she felt a strong fist grabbed a handful of her hair and smacked her face into the ground. The salty taste of blood filled her mouse. Another fist grabbed the front of her shirt and lifted her up easily, as if he was lifting a doll. _

_Masaki struggled to free herself, staring into the grinning face of the gigantic man who caught her son earlier. She tried to hit the man's arms but he obviously felt no pain. She kicked her legs around, wishing that she could hit his stomach. Once he let go of her, she could transform and save her family…_

_But she failed. The large man's body proved to be harder than stone. He held her with both hands and brought her down to face him, her legs still dangling in the air. He licked her face and she screamed, disgusted._

_Isshin stared desperately at his wife. He was too weak to even move now. The silver was poisoning his blood._

_Ichigo wriggled inside the priest's dead hold. His visions blurred with tears, his parents tortured before his very eyes._

_The large man set Masaki on the ground. He turned her body around. Her back was now to him. He locked her neck with his large right arm, as his left hand fished into his pocket._

_Grinning, he took out a knife. It shone, reflecting the rays of early morning light. He lifted the silver blade slowly, and pointed it to Masaki's neck._

"_No…" Isshin begged._

_The large man moved his left hand slowly. The tip of the sharp knife was now touching Masaki's skin, and it reacted like acid. She let out a scream of pain as a hissing sound resulted from the brief contact, a burnt patch forming on her fair skin._

"_Let her go!" Ichigo shouted._

"_No can do," the large man answered through his bared teeth, and with one brief movement, thrust the knife into Masaki's throat. Then, to Ichigo's horror, slit the poor woman's throat swiftly._

_There was a choking sound. Masaki's eyes went wide, her whole body convulsed for a few seconds before it went completely still. The large man dropped her limp body._

"_NOOOOOO!!!" Ichigo screamed at the sight of his dead mother, blood gushing from her gaping wound._

_Sobbing, Isshin tried to crawl towards his dead wife, ignoring the excruciating pain as the chain wrapped around him tightened with every single movement he made. After moving a few inch, Isshin gave up, blood foaming in his mouth._

_As both Ichigo and his father mourned the death of their beloved woman, their center of the universe, footsteps were heard coming from the house._

_Alerted, Isshin turned towards the sound, intending to warn his daughters to stay away. A sharp pain shot through his body and he coughed out blood._

_He was too late. Two sleepy, puzzled faces emerged through the open door._

_Isshin opened his mouth, trying to shout to his daughters, telling them to bail right away, but instead, he coughed out more blood. His clothes, his face, his beard were all covered with his own blood, and he could smell gangrene in his breath. His insides were rotting, fast._

"_YUZU!! KARIN!! RUNNNNN!!!" he heard Ichigo's panicked scream._

_The bewildered twins stay rooted in their spots. _

"_RUNNNN!!!!" Ichigo shouted, louder this time, and the girls began to sprint away._

_Then, came the deafening sounds of gunshots._

* * * * *

_The shocking horror unfolded before Ichigo's very eyes, and the same scene would be repeated over and over in his restless sleeps._

_He wished he hadn't, but he saw clearly the bullets, silver bullets, pierced through Yuzu. Her small body was thrown forward because of the shot, and he saw how her fragile form jerked violently on the ground. After a few excruciating seconds, the jerking stopped and she lied still, her eyes wide, her mouth opened. There were holes in her body._

_And Karin suffered the same fate as her twin. Even worse, two bullets hit her head, crashing open her skull and blowing her brains. Karin fell, and Ichigo could see pieces of her brain flew as her body crumpled on the ground. She died immediately._

"_NNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!"_

_A sickening wave of burnt flesh, the nauseating smell of blood filled Ichigo's nostrils and he vomited into the priest's hands. Disgusted, the man let go of him, and his little body sunk to the ground._

_Next, came the infinite darkness._

* * * * *

_Moments later, when he finally opened his eyes, there were no longer any sight of hunters standing with their rifles fired, their unkind faces smiling cruelly._

_He'd opened his eyes to familiar faces._

"_Ichigo…" someone said in a relieved voice._

_The dark woman kneeling before him, Shihouin Yoruichi was crying. When she saw the small boy opened his eyes, she stifled her sobs, and tried to force a smile. But her heart was breaking painfully at the sight of the innocent boy, so she bowed her head, trying to hide her tears behind her purple hair. Behind her, he could see his house burning in flames, the red glow of fire seemed to mock him. _What happened?

"_Yoruichi-san…" Ichigo croaked._

_Clearing her throat, the said woman called out, "Kisuke! Sousuke! Ichigo's woken up!" She couldn't face the boy alone._

_Two men rushed over to her side. One of them was Ichigo's uncle, Aizen Sousuke and the other one was his father's most trusted man, Urahara Kisuke, his messy, pale, blond hair kept hidden under his hat._

"_I'm so glad you're okay," Aizen said to him._

_Urahara bowed his head, "I'm sorry we hadn't been here earlier."_

What do they mean?_ Ichigo thought, his mind momentary lost the memory of the tragedy that had occurred earlier. But the blissful lost of memory was temporary. Everything flooded back into his head when his eyes landed on a few figures lying on the ground, covered by blankets_, their_ blankets._

"_Where's Okaa-san?" he asked._

_Yoruichi answered with her uncontrollable sobs._

"_Where's Yuzu? Where's Karin?"_

"_Ichigo…" Aizen tried to comfort him._

"_Where are they? Where's my family?"_

_There was silence. All Ichigo could hear was the sound of Yoruichi sobbing._

_Then…_

"_I….chi….go……" came that weak, familiar voice._

_Ichigo turned his head towards the voice. Lying a meter away from him was his dying father, his whole body wounded and bleeding. Clots of blood had formed in the corners of his mouth._

"_Otou-san!" Ichigo exclaimed._

_He sat upright and tried to stand up but failed. His knees buckled, perhaps because it was still shaking from the shocking horror he'd witnessed earlier. So he began to crawl quickly towards his father. The three adults followed him, their faces filled with sorrow._

"_Otou-san…"_

_Isshin tried to smile, but failed. It seemed he'd lost control over his muscles._

"_Sss….n…."_

_Ichigo started to cry. "Otou-san… I'm sorry…." He felt Urahara's hand gripping his shoulder tightly, supporting him, and he was grateful for that._

_Isshin closed his eyelids briefly, then he opened them, indicating that he understood everything. _

_Then his eyes began rolling oddly in their sockets, as he seemed to be looking for someone. They stopped moving as soon as his gaze fell on Aizen and Urahara._

_Maintaining his gaze with them, Isshin revealed his last wish._

"_Ttt….kk… care….. ss….n….. cop…….. ni……."_

_Urahara and Aizen both nodded, understanding what he must have meant. "Take care", "son", "company" was what he'd said._

_His eyes started rolling around again, and this time they rested on Ichigo. Isshin drew out his last breath, forcing whatever strength left in his body to say his final word to his only son, his only surviving child._

"_Live," he'd said._

_Then his head lolled to his side, his eyes closed. Kurosaki Isshin was dead. Urahara's grasp on Ichigo's shoulder tightened._

_Ichigo screamed his sorrow, his regrets, into the soft blowing wind. He was the one who screwed up. He was the one who deserved to die. Not his family. NOT HIS FAMILY!_

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Ichigo woke up with a start. His whole body, and his bed sheet were drenched with sweat. It had been so long since he had that nightmare, the recollection of what had happened on the morning he'd lost his whole family.

He wiped away trickles of sweat from his forehead with his shaky hand.

That night was also the last time he could change into his animal form. Maybe it was because of the trauma. Or maybe it was because of the guilt that kept eating inside of him, making him wonder if he hadn't transformed that night, maybe his father, mother and sisters would still be alive.

There was nothing else he could do except wondered. And wondered.

"Are you okay?"

Startled, Ichigo jumped at the sound of the voice. Aizen was sitting on the chair by his bedside.

"I'm okay. How long have you been here?"

"I heard you screamed, so I rushed inside. You were tossing and turning but I couldn't bring myself to wake you up. It was _that_ dream again, wasn't it?"

Ichigo nodded.

Aizen stood up. "You haven't had that dream for a long time."

"Yeah."

"So why are you having it again now?"

"I don't know."

_Maybe it's because I have a feeling that something bad is going to happen_.

"Well, if you're okay, I guess I should leave and start preparing for work."

"Yeah."

Aizen began walking towards the door. He grabbed the door handle, and began pulling it when he realized he'd forgotten something.

"Ichigo."

"Hm?"

"The Hunting's tonight."

Ichigo stared at his uncle. "So?"

"I want you to come."

With that word, he left the younger man, sitting on his sweat-drenched bed.

_The Hunting_, Ichigo thought. _I've always hated it since that day…_

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_**I cried…**_

_**At the sight of the pregnant moon**_

_**I screamed…**_

_**Pouring my sorrow and loneliness **_

_**Into the silence of the night**_

_**I changed…**_

_**And became something completely inhuman.**_

* * *

**Author's Note :** Chapter 9 is finally up! I said in last chapter that I was going to update last week, so I'm really really sorry for the late update. The last two weeks was very hectic, I had a lot of work to do. On top of that, I was suffering from a minor case of writer's block. I'd opened my draft for Chapter 9 but then I left it like that because I couldn't get myself to start writing. There was a few days when I felt like throwing up each time I opened that particular draft *cries*. That's why I wrote another story which I published last week, to keep myself distracted. I began working again on this chapter in Tuesday, after I deleted the first draft 'cause I hated it. I really wanted to do well with this chapter, but I don't know... So please tell me what you guys think, 'cause I feel it didn't come out as well as I'd like it to be.

Anyway, this chapter explained a lot about Ichigo's past and why he was incapable of turning into his wolf form. I mentioned something about "The Hunting" a few times. This will be explained more in Chapter 10. Please take note that in my story, the characters were born as werewolves, and it wasn't because they were bitten by werewolves (this is one of the few famous myths concerning werewolves), and they can change whenever they willed it, but yes, they will feel a crazy need to do so when the moon is full. It is believed that the moon is related to some supernatural, unexplained force, so I made it that although the werewolves can change anytime they want, the pack will gather during full moon to celebrate their animal form and went out hunting. This is what I meant by "The Hunting". I wanted to mention Ichigo's age as well as his sisters' but I couldn't think of how the werewolves counted their age.

In the period of 1400 - 1600, there was a mass hunt for witches and anyone who believed to be connected to Satanic practices. It is believed that around these times, the werewolves are being hunted as well. People believed that werewolves are beasts that endangered the humans. It was also a fact that the witches captured during this period will be tortured to death, killed gruesomely and some were even burnt alive. When I portrayed the cruelty, I am in no way trying to give the Church a bad reputation. I am a Christian and a pretty devoted one at that. I was just writing what I thought would have happened during that particular period. But please bear in mind, although this witch hunting period really had occured in the West, I have no idea if it actually happened in Japan, but for the purpose of this story, I wrote that it does. Therefore, this part is not historically accurate. If I am wrong, correct me.

And yeah, werewolves are immortal, but they have one weakness: silver. According to myths, if you want to kill a werewolf, just make sure you do it with silver weapons. In the story "Blood and Chocolate", it is shown that the werewolves' skin would burn if it made contact with silver, and should they have wounds inflicted by silver weapons, it will poison their blood. This was why Isshin grew so weak even if he was merely tied with that silver chain.

Most of all, I hope that all you lovely Readers will enjoy this chapter, and review please! =)

This chapter is dedicated to **glon morski**; thank you for loving this story as much as I do, and sorry for making you wait... Have a good day, everyone! XD

_**sherrybaby29**_.


	10. ACT X : The Hunting

**Disclaimer :** Bleach belongs to Kubo Tite. I "borrowed" Rudyard Kipling's The Law of The Jungle, taken from The Jungle Book, again. And the name of the chocolates I "borrowed" from a chocolate ad I discovered on the Net (I'm not creative, sorry).

* * *

"_**As the creeper that girdles the tree-trunk**_

_**the Law runneth forward and back -- **_

_**For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf,**_

_**and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack."**_

**[Rudyard Kipling, The Law of The Jungle]**

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Ichigo was driving distractedly in his black Bugatti Veyron. His hand shifted the gears expertly but his mind was replaying the nightmare he had last night, over and over again.

He hated that dream. Most of all, he hated the feelings that resurfaced every time he had that same dream. It made him feel weak and useless. Even worse, it reminded him of the biggest mistake he'd ever made in his life.

How could he ever forget his father's last words? How could he forget his mother's tears when she saw her beloved husband lying and dying on the ground? And how could he erase the gruesome memory of his twin sisters' bloodied corpses?

Ichigo shook his head, trying to push the horrible images away.

He'd left home early that morning. He couldn't bring himself to fall asleep again after he'd woken up from that terrifying nightmare, so he decided to head early for work. But now that he was only a few blocks away from his office, he changed his mind.

He decided to go see _her_ instead. Maybe, one look at her beautiful face could help him clear his mind. And maybe, hearing her addictive laugh would help brighten up his day. Maybe. Just maybe.

_Or maybe, he was just looking for another excuse to see her again._

* * * * *

Orihime was arranging the chocolates into their boxes when she heard a car pulled off outside the chocolate shop. She peered outside and saw an unfamiliar car. She let out a relieved sigh and continued her work. For some odd reason, she had expected to see Ulquiorra's white Lamborghini Murciélago, but she was glad it wasn't. She was still feeling guilty about her date with Ichigo, and she wasn't ready to face her fiancé just yet.

At that moment, the door swung open.

"I'm sorry, we're not open... yet." Her voice trailed off when she recognized the man striding into the shop, his scowl etched deeply on his face.

_Speak of the devil..._

"Hey," Ichigo said to her, a faint smirk began forming on his face. _Oh, why does his voice have to sound so sexy?_

"Hi," she replied. Her eyes gazing approvingly at the handsome man approaching her. In the past, when she met him, he was always in his jeans and t-shirt. But today he was wearing a formal clothing. Its' sleeves was rolled up to his elbow, revealing his toned, masculine hands, and his necktie was hung loosely around his neck.

"Stop staring at me like you want to eat me."

She blushed automatically at Ichigo's words. "I did not!"

"Whatever," Ichigo replied. He walked casually towards the blushing woman and sat on a chair in front of her.

"W-wait a minute. What are you doing here?" she stuttered as she stared wide-eyed at him.

"I came to see you. Why are you acting like you're scared of something?"

"I-I'm not scared of anything. And please don't just barge in like this next time, Kurosaki-kun."

He directed his gaze at her. When his eyes met hers, she quickly looked away and started working nervously on the boxes of chocolates.

Ichigo watched the flustered woman. "I just thought that maybe you miss me, after that awesome date we had. So I decided to do you a favor and show up in front of you." Then, he leaned closer, his face a few inches away from hers, his large hands placed firmly on the table, next to her smaller ones. He grinned naughtily. "So, missed me yet?"

Her face went a deeper shade of red. "No."

Ichigo let his gaze lingered on her for a moment before he fell back on his chair again. Strands of hair fell across her ample bosom and she flicked them away. It somehow appeared very innocently seductive to him. Ichigo felt his body heat rising immediately at her gesture. He tore his gaze to look at the stacks of boxes and trays of chocolates on the table. "What are you doing?" he asked.

Orihime's heart was thumping violently against her ribcage. _He is such a tease_. _He would do things that make me fluster but then he acts as if nothing happened._

"Inoue..." he called out to her, waving his hand in front of her, making her return her focus towards him.

"Oh, sorry. I'm arranging the chocolates."

"I see. Do you need help?"

"No, Kurosaki-kun..."

But he had already started putting the chocolates into an empty box. Orihime laughed when she saw his arrangements.

"No, Kurosaki-kun. You got it wrong."

"Hm?"

"Here, let me show you."

She placed an empty box in front of her. "You see, Kurosaki-kun, these boxes of chocolates are made especially for White Day."

"White Day? What is that?" he asked, puzzled. He'd never cared about what's going on around him, and he certainly hadn't heard any of his friends mentioned about White Day before.

She looked at him as if he already lost his mind. Then, clearing her throat, she started explaining to him.

"You know Valentine's Day, right?"

_Yeah, but I don't give a shit about it_. "Mm-hm..."

"Well, girls give boys chocolates on Valentine's Day, which is on February 14th every year. Then, on March 14th, it's the boys' turn to give something to those girls as a way to appreciate the chocolates they've received from them."

"Oh..."

"And what better gifts can you give to a girl, Kurosaki-kun?"

"Mm... Chocolates?"

"Bingo!" she exclaimed brightly, pumping her hands up in the air. Ichigo couldn't help but smile at the sight before him.

"So, you need to make sure that you put each type of chocolates into the boxes. Don't just put them in randomly like you did before."

"Oh... I thought these are all the same thing," he said, referring to the trays of chocolates on the table.

"No, they're not! They don't even look the same!"

She held up a rectangular piece of chocolate and handed it over to Ichigo, who took it slowly, unsure of what she wanted him to do.

"Try it," she told him.

Ichigo put the tiny piece into his mouth and savored the sweet taste.

"See? We called this one '_Pave Pistache_'. It's made from milk chocolate, filled with pistachio."

She handed him another piece, this time a round one. "This is called '_Arabica_'," she announced proudly.

Ichigo munched the chocolate. "It tasted like coffee."

"That's because this one is filled with two roasted coffee beans."

She picked up yet another piece, this time it was a round one, decorated with swirly lines. He noted how it was darker than the ones she gave to him earlier. Ichigo took the chocolate obediently and put it in his mouth. "What is this one called? And why is it darker?" he asked.

"It's called '_Marquise_'. It's darker because it's made with dark chocolate, and it's filled with crisped rice, almond, and hazelnut pieces." After a considerate pause, she added, "Dark chocolate means no milk is added."

"Oh, really?" _Who would have thought that chocolates can be an interesting topic of conversation_, Ichigo thought amusedly.

He looked around the table, and his gaze fell on the tray filled with pieces of heart-shaped chocolates. Orihime must have noticed what she was looking at because she offered him one.

"It's bitter," he commented as the chocolate melted inside his mouth.

"It's the bitterest one we have. I named this one '_Emotion_'."

"Why?"

"Well, it's heart-shaped, right? Which means it's symbolizes the heart and love. Love is an emotion. And love is bitter."

"Why do you say love is bitter?" Ichigo asked again, not quite grasping her meaning.

"To me, bitterness reflects sorrow and hardships, and sometimes, love brought those to your life."

"No, no. That's where you got it wrong, woman," Ichigo said, waving his index finger in front of him. "While I myself had never been in love, I believe it shouldn't make you feel like what you said. Being in love should make you feel better, not bitter. Whatever it is that you do in life, you have to make sure that you enjoy it."

Orihime gaped at him. She hadn't expected such intelligent words to come from him. At first she thought he was mocking her but he looked serious.

"You have to think of a new recipe to represent love. One that would make your customers happy when they eat it. Now that sounded more like love. Love equals to happiness."

Ichigo waited for Orihime to respond, but she continued gaping at him with an expression of wonder in her eyes.

"I am such a genius!" Ichigo said jokingly, and that broke the spell. Orihime burst out laughing.

"You are shameless," she said to him. Ichigo pretended to be annoyed but then laughed along with her.

"Thank you, Inoue..." he said after their laughing fit stopped.

"Eh? What did I do?"

"Nothing. It's just that early this morning when I left my house, I was feeling a bit down. But you made me laugh."

"It's Inoue Orihime to the rescue!" she beamed proudly.

"Yeah, yeah. You're like a superhero."

Orihime put her finger on her plump lips and began to wonder. _It would be nice if she was indeed a superhero..._

"Hey, no daydreaming when you're with me."

Jolted out of her thoughts, she giggled awkwardly.

"Have you thought about what new ingredients you would want to try with for your new recipe?"

"Emm... There are a lot of things I could think of. You know, I've always wanted to add _wasabi!_"

"_Wasabi?_"

"Yes! I bet they would taste really great. I'll let you try once I've made them, Kurosaki-kun!"

Ichigo went green at the thought of having to eat _wasabi_-filled chocolates.

"O-okay."

Then she went on to ramble about other dishes that she wished she could add _wasabi_ into. Ichigo's stomach began to protest as he heard her cooking plans.

"Hm… I know what the chocolates would taste good with," he said, smirking as he gazed appreciatively at the beautiful figure before him.

_Oh, what am I doing? Stop staring at her body! I'm not a pervert! I'm nothing like Keigo!_

"What would the chocolates taste good with, Kurosaki-kun?" Orihime asked innocently, unaware that Ichigo's inner demon and angel were fighting inside his head.

_She obviously didn't get my hint_. _Here I am in a full-blown flirting mode and she didn't notice it? This girl really is clueless._

Ichigo cleared his throat. "Maybe you would like to taste some chocolate-coated _strawberries_?"

Orihime blinked. "Eh? I've tried them. They're not that good."

Ichigo let out a frustrated groan, trying to refrain himself from slapping his forehead, _to say she's clueless is an understatement_.

"Oh, forget it!" he said, frustrated, and leaned forward towards her again.

They were so close now that she could literally feel warmth radiating from his body.

"You know what? Those chocolates are really good but I bet they won't taste as good as you," he said as he stood up, a boyish smile playing across his face.

"Kurosaki-kun!" she blurted, blushing madly.

_Now you get my meaning, woman._

His face inched closer. She could now feel his breath on her skin. She wanted to pull away, wanted to escape but it was as if she was under a trance. She was unable to move, her eyes fixated on his lips. _His sexy, sexy lips_, and they were almost reaching hers. She closed her eyes, anticipating the kiss as he moved closer. _Closer…_

"What the hell is going on here?"

Her eyes fluttered open. She let out a gasp when she realized who'd witnessed the almost-kiss moment between her and Ichigo. "_Onii-chan_!"

Ichigo pulled away from her to see a red-haired man scowling at them.

"Orhime, who is this?"

"No one. He's just a customer."

"I thought we're not open yet."

"He was leaving."

"I am?"

"Yes, you are." She walked over to his side and started pushing him towards the door.

"Hey, hey…" he said, watching her panicked face. "I can walk out on my own."

"I'm sorry…" she whispered softly before turning her back towards him. He waited for her to turn around but she didn't. Ignoring something that felt suspiciously like hurt forming inside of him, he walked out of the chocolate shop.

* * * * *

"Hey!"

Ichigo stopped in his tracks. He turned around at the voice and saw the man Orihime referred to as _Onii-chan_ jogged over to him.

He stilled himself, his fists clenched, expecting a fight.

The man grabbed the front of his shirt, anger burning in his eyes. Ichigo leveled his intense gaze with the red-haired man standing in front of him.

"Stay away from her."

"Nobody tell me what to do."

"Well, I am now. If I ever see you around here again, I'm gonna beat the pulp out of ya."

"Jeez. Don't get so worked up, man! It must be a pain in the ass to have you as a brother!"

"You better watch out your words, punk!" Renji's curled fist on Ichigo's shirt tightened.

"Whatever. I like being with your sister, and no one can stop me from seeing someone I like!" Ichigo wrenched off Renji's hard grip.

"YOU BASTARD!"

Renji gritted his teeth to help controlling his seeping anger. He was not going to hit that man, especially not when his lovely sister was watching. "Leave! NOW!"

Ichigo gave one hard stare at Renji before he turned and walked over to his car. Minutes later, his car sped away from the shop.

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_**Hours passed, and day became night…**_

_**And thus came the moment Kurosaki Ichigo despised the most…**_

* * * * *

Every full moon, the pack gathered.

When they gathered, they would hunt…

It was the only moment they could become what they truly were…

They called it The Hunting.

And Kurosaki Ichigo hated it. He would often try to find out ways to bail out from having to attend that particular gathering. But his uncle had personally asked him to come so he couldn't refuse.

That man was now sitting next to him now, on a chair that looked very much like a throne. They were up above some sort of a platform in the middle of an ancient ruin, along with Aizen's two most trusted man, Ichimaru Gin and Tousen Kaname. His friends, who would one day take Gin and Tousen's place when he'll take over the throne, Kojima Mizuiro and Kuchiki Rukia, was standing behind him. Keigo was standing with the rest of the pack down below.

Aizen flashed his nephew a confident smile, and stood up. He walked over to the edge of the platform. The crowd began buzzing when they saw him. They wrapped their left arms around the back of their neck, their hands resting on their right temples, tilting their heads to the left, and kneeled down on their right knees, as a sign of respect for their pack leader.

Aizen gazed proudly at the people kneeling before him, his arms wide outstretched.

"My brothers and sisters! My mothers and fathers! My sons and daughters!" he called out.

The crowd responded with a roar. Above them, the full moon glowed its brilliant light.

Aizen took out a small bottle from inside his jacket, unscrewed the cap and began drinking. Once he swallowed the liquid, fire glimmered in his eyes and Ichigo could feel a strong, powerful aura emanating from him.

Down below, the crowd began chanting his name, reacting to the surge of power in Aizen.

"Remember… the Wolf is a hunter! Go forth and get food of thine own!" Aizen shouted to the crowd.

The crowd repeated his words, shouting them into the silence of the night.

"And remember… the night is for hunting! And forget not the day is for sleep!"

Again, the crowd echoed his words.

"My fellow men and women! Release yourselves! Release yourselves and hunt deep inside the jungle! Embrace your power! The power of our ancestors! Go and hunt!"

A bright glow surrounded Aizen – it wasn't visible to naked eyes – fire burning in his irises.

"LET'S HUNT!!" he shouted and lifted his hands, directing them towards the jungle.

The crowd let out one final roar. One by one they shed off their clothing, their eyes glowing red. They ran into the deep jungle, their naked body illuminated by the moon. Ichigo saw them leaped, and as they did so, their transformations began. One by one, they turned into wolves.

They disappeared into the jungle. Smiling proudly, Aizen called out to the rest of them. "Come, my friends! Let's join in the fun!"

Ichimaru Gin and Tousen Kaname stood up, so did Rukia and Mizuiro, their eyes were already red, glowing with anticipation of the hunt. They made their move, stripping off their clothes as they ran. Aizen did the same, following behind them. They jumped down, their bodies changing midair; muscles rippled, arms and legs lengthened, and their jaws extended.

When their feet landed, Gin had transformed into a large wolf, his fur gleamed like silver under the moonlight. Tousen had changed into a white one, with a small patch of black on the top of his head. Mizuiro's fur was light brown, and Rukia's was one shade darker than his. Although the female wolf was slightly smaller than the rest, she was the fastest and was now running ahead of the rest.

But Aizen was the largest and the strongest of them all. His body was longer, covered in shining black fur. He snarled when he landed on the ground, revealing his sharp, pointy teeth. Then, lifting his large head to stare up the glowing moon, he howled. It was a long, loud howl, and it echoed inside the jungle. Moments later, the other wolves howled as well, answering their leader's call.

Aizen sprinted forward, making a big leap with his strong, muscular legs, and still sitting in his seat, Ichigo watched his uncle disappeared along with the rest of the pack.

"Amazing," someone commented behind him.

"You know, you don't have to come if you don't want to, Chad."

His gigantic, quiet friend stepped out from the shadows. "Even if I'm not a werewolf, technically, I'm still a member of the pack."

"Better than one who is, but cannot transform," Ichigo replied bitterly. Deep in his heart, he longed to be able to run with his friends, to slip through the thick mass of trees. _To hunt_. _To run freely_.

Chad patted his shoulder understandingly.

"Well, at least I've got you to wait around with me."

Chad mumbled his agreement.

* * * * *

Just like any other wild beasts, they were born to hunt. And, the night of The Hunting was the one time they could hunt freely, along with their brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, and their sons and daughters.

And just like any other wild beasts, even though they could kill easily, they weren't permitted to just kill anything they could. Once they caught enough meat to be shared amongst them, the hunting ended and they would began their feasting, quenching their thirsts for the fresh taste of living prey. The fastest and the strongest were usually the ones who made the kills, but everyone would be given the same amount of meat.

They would be fine as long as it wasn't human they killed, as long as it wasn't humans' flesh they feasted upon and it wasn't humans' blood they drank. One taste of the forbidden meat and there would be no turning back. One taste and they would became the Fallen; the ones who could no longer be human again, ones who had to continue feasting on humans; ones who would be banished from the clan he or she was in.

Often, they would end up dead. Hunting for humans wasn't as easy as hunting for animals in the jungle, and when they were no longer able to live with the pack, they would suffer from loneliness, aside from being exposed to constant danger.

_And that was one of the reasons why the werewolves must never get too involved with humans._

* * * * *

Getting out of his car, Renji muttered a curse as he felt a sharp pain shot through his back. Captain Soi-Fon had forced them to stay at the station, working extra hours because the mayor and the press were pressing her to solve the mysterious murders faster. She was upset and they had to endure her foul mood.

Renji's mind recalled the meeting, and he had to admit it, he was at a lost. He was sure that no man could have done the dirty deeds. _Maybe Ikkaku was right,_ he thought, _that some werewolves were terrorizing Karakura. I'll talk to Ulquiorra when he gets back, maybe he knows something._

He unlocked the front door and raised an eyebrow at the faint sound of television from the living room. _Who's staying up at a time like this?_

He made his way to the living room and saw his auburn-haired sister watching a Jerry Springfield's rerun, but oddly, she was just staring blankly into the screen, not laughing like she would usually did.

"Why are you still up?" he asked.

She turned her head to look at him and smiled warmly, though it was very clear to him that she was forcing it. "_Onii-chan_, welcome home."

He plopped down on the sofa next to her, letting out a deep groan. His body was aching all over.

Orihime watched her brother worriedly, "You must be really tired. You're working too hard lately."

"Captain Soi-Fon would kill me if I don't work harder." Then, looking straight at her, he asked, "So, what is it you want to talk about?"

Orihime lowered her gaze. Her brother could always read her like an open book. She played with her fingers, thinking of a way to start saying what she wanted to say.

"It's about that punk, isn't it?"

Looking up at him, her large eyes betraying emotions he couldn't read, she pleaded. "Please don't say a word to Ulquiorra-kun."

"Are you asking me to help you with your little love affair?"

"_Onii-chan_! You got it wrong! Nothing happened between us! I told you he was just a customer!"

"Did you kiss every customers who showed up in our shop?" Renji asked sarcastically.

"We didn't kiss!"

"You would have if I hadn't came."

"_Onii-chan_, please listen to me!"

"Orihime, you're engaged. You're already spoken for, so it'd be wise if you stay away from other men. Mama raised you to be a good woman. Even if you are my sister, whom I love to death, I wouldn't approve of what you're doing. Because it is wrong."

"We're not doing anything wrong!"

"I don't want to see him in here ever again," Renji said firmly, ignoring her protests.

"You're not even listening to me!" she raised her voice, her eyes were welling with frustrated tears. "You don't try to understand situation. If you were to say something to Ulquiorra-kun, he's going to think something had happened, and I don't want him to hurt an innocent man like Kurosaki-kun!"

_Innocent, my ass!_ "Kurosaki, eh? That's his name?"

"_Onii-chan_!"

"Why are you guys yelling?"

Startled, they turned toward the sound of the voice. Tatsuki was standing behind them in her blue nightgown, rubbing on her sleepy eyes.

"Some people are trying to get some sleep, you know!"

"Tatsuki-chan, please tell _Onii-chan_ that nothing is going on between me and Kurosaki-kun!"

Tatsuki stopped rubbing her eyes. Images of Orihime and Ishida holding hands flashed in her mind. "I don't care about your love affairs, Orihime."

Orihime stared disbelievingly at her best friend, "Tatsuki-chan?"

"I know you're beautiful and you might think that all the guys around you are interested in you. Who knew that someone who appeared so sweet and innocent is playing behind her fiancé's back? I hope Ulquiorra will realize what kind of person you are."

Like a fatal stab to the heart, her words poured out, full of hatred and jealousy towards the girl whom she'd once vowed to protect from everything.

"Tatsuki…" Renji warned warily. Orihime was crying, and he hated seeing that.

"What have I done to you, Tatsuki-chan?"

"Oh, enough with your innocent façade!"

Tatsuki wanted to stop, but her heart was hurting, and as cruel as it seemed to be, she enjoyed seeing Orihime's tears. _Now she felt what I felt that night, betrayed and left alone…_

Orhime could no longer believe her ears. Everyone hated her, she thought, as she dashed through the living door. Feeling suffocated, she swung open the front door and bolted out of the house.

"Go ahead and run! Act like you're the innocent victim!" Tatsuki called out sarcastically through her raspy breath.

"Tatsuki, that's enough!"

The door closed with a slam as Inoue Orihime left the house, her tears trailing behind her.

* * * * *

"What's wrong with you?" Renji barked angrily at Tatsuki.

She stared defiantly at him, her lips trembling with anger.

"It's one thing to give advice. You don't have to say such hurtful things to her!"

"Fine! Blame it on me! Just blame me for everything, like you usually did!" she shouted at him before she stormed up the stairs.

Left alone in the living room, Renji kicked the sofa, venting his anger and frustration.

* * * * *

Orihime wiped her tears with the back of her hands. She was running farther and farther, away from her overprotective brother, away from her angry best friend.

_How did everything go wrong in just one night?_

Something rustled inside the bushed. Her steps froze. She strained her ears, trying to listen to for any weird sounds, but all she heard was the loud singing of the cicadas. _Must be the wind_, she said to herself, trying to comfort her panicking heart.

She turned around, wanted to head home.

Then a shadow leaped from behind the bushes and caught her. She screamed for help as her body was dragged away from the empty street.

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_**"Wash daily from nose-tip to tail-tip;**_

_**drink deeply, but never too deep;**_

_**And remember the night is for hunting,**_

_**and forget not the day is for sleep.**_

_**The Jackal may follow the Tiger, **_

_**but, Cub, when thy whiskers are grown,**_

_**Remember the Wolf is a Hunter –**_

_**go forth and get food of thine own."**_

**[Rudyard Kipling, The Law of The Jungle]**

* * *

**Author's Note :** Chapter 10 is here! I hope you guys enjoyed reading this one. Personally, I don't think it was as good as the last one. I am really bad at describing things, sorry, so "The Hunting" part had came out less 'epic' than I intended it to be. I felt really sorry for Orihime in this chapter. She felt like everyone is ganging up against her, and something had happened to her. Who could be the one capturing Orihime?

I would like to apologize in advance because I don't think I can update this story in... let's say, another three weeks? And considering the decreasing number of reviews I received for this story, I guess it would be okay... *goes off to cry in a secluded corner* Anyways, all jokings aside, I would like to work on my two other stories next week (cough! people showered me with more love there cough!), the week after I'm going to have another out-of-state meeting (am I a busy girl or what?), so I would only be able to start working on this one again in the third week. Besides, I need some more inspiration for this story though. And I would very much like to start reading my new Stephen King's paperback (I love him!).

I would like to ask for some help from you guys. I don't know if any of you noticed this but I haven't named Rangiku's chocolate shop (like I said, I'm not creative), so if you guys have any suggestion, feel free to tell me. And I searched for Sora's date of death but I couldn't find it, so I'm sorry if this story is not correct in terms of that (if you recall, Orihime's praying for Sora's death anniversary in the 2nd Chapter & in this one - after approximately 1 month, let's say - she's preparing for White Day).

I hope you guys will be patient! And, enjoy this chapter! I would also like to thank **Dark Vizard447, glon morski, Fostersb, Shrinking Violet66, Lyhime, LunarStar77, & Mosspaw **for reviewing the last chapter. I worked my ass off on that one. Have a good day, everyone! & please show me some love! I really need more inspiration... Review please!! XD


	11. ACT XI : Memories, Haunting Memories

**Author's Note **: Surprise! Surprise! Here I am bringing another chapter to my story. Honestly, this chapter wasn't planned at all. It's just something I added and expanded on as a present for you guys, so your waiting time will be reduced to merely 2 weeks (I can't update faster than this, sorry)! Yay! You guys better be grateful, because I'm losing sleep writing this and my half-unread Stephen King's book is glaring at me, wanted to be read! Not to mention my other fic, **Cupid IS Stupid**, the one I planned to update this week is abandoned yet again because of this one! *clears throat* Joking aside, the truth is, I was so happy because the last chapter got 17 reviews! It's not much, really, but for me, that meant a lot. So as a way to say thank you and showing appreciation to you guys out there, I came up with this chapter. Nothing BIG happen in this chapter because I'm saving that for Chapter 12, and I need more time to write it if I want it to come out good. But I think there's a few explanation in this one, as well as new questions (read to find out!)

Thanks a lot **Crystal Dawn, MrsMorshae, bleachbabe03, cupcakesrok, Fostersb, Dark Vizard447, AvioNN, glon morski, Lyhime, Mosspaw, LunarStar77, PinakaFaltizan, Blitch **(whom I kinda 'forced' to read this story, XD), **Shrinking Violet66, Maniz, mmk15, & Ever Angel 27 **(whom I kinda 'forced' to review, XD)! Keep reviewing, guys! You know more reviews make a happy writer, and hence, faster update! ;P I love you guys and I could never thank you enough for your support! But I can promise I will keep writing this story for you lovely readers and reviewers until the very end!

I've decided the name for Rangiku's chocolate shop as well: **Hainerikka ChocoHeaven**! A combination from **MrsMorshae** and **Lyhime**'s suggestion! Thanks guys! (& **MrsMorshae** told me that 'Haine' came from Haineko and 'rikka' came from Shun Shun Rikka)

I hope you guys enjoy this one! I'll be back after 2 weeks! Have a good day! =)

**Disclaimer :** Bleach belongs to Kubo Tite. And those lyrics at the beginning and the end of the chapter was from the song **'Almost Lover' **by **A Fine Frenzy**.

**Warning :** Character death, grammatical error (I checked it but I was in a rush) & **Serious Author's Ramblings **at the very end, but it's serious so I hope you guys will read it. & I made one character into a bad person, sorry for those who like her. I honestly dislike this character but I didn't trash her or anything in here except I made her into a bully (again, read to find out! XD)

* * *

_**Well, I'd never want to see you unhappy**_

_**I thought you'd want the same for me…  
**_

_**Goodbye, my almost lover…**_

_**Goodbye, my hopeless dream…**_

_**I'm trying not to think about you**_

_**Can't you just let me be?  
**_

_**So long, my luckless romance…**_

_**My back is turned on you**_

_**Should've known you'd bring me heartache**_

_**Almost lovers always do…**_

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The atmosphere was eerily gloomy in the Matsumoto household.

Orihime had been missing for three whole days. The police had been alerted, her pictures were passed around but still they haven't found her.

Renji took a few days off, _after_ he'd suffered from Captain Soi Fon's endless lectures for over an hour. He searched everywhere for his sister, and when he's not out looking for her, he stayed home with his mother and Tatsuki.

And most of the time they spent at the house was filled with silence. Tatsuki spent most of her time locked up in her room, and so did his mother. More often than not, Renji found himself eating his meals alone.

His eyes scanned the living room. It felt so empty without his lovely sister around. She was gone for two days but it seemed like he hadn't heard her sweet laughter for years.

He let out a frustrated sight. If it weren't for their fights that night, she wouldn't have run out like she did. When they were kids, she almost died because of his carelessness. He vowed to never let it happen again, but now she could be in danger because of the 'stupid talk' he decided to have with her.

_What is happening to her right at this moment? Is she in danger? Is she hurt? Even worse… is she dead? _

Thoughts jumbled inside his head. He thought of the victims he'd discovered in his service. Most of them were young girls. _What if one day he was to find Orihime's lifeless body, just like he'd found all those dead girls? _He shuddered at the thought.

A loud knock was heard, coming from the front door, startling the distressed man. He stood up and rushed to the door, wishing that someone had come with good news.

He swung the door open and was surprised to see the two men facing him.

"Hisagi _senpai_? Ishida?"

Ishida muttered a small "Hi," while Hisagi just flashed him a small smile.

"How~"

"We met on our way here," Hisagi explained, knowing what Renji's question would be.

"I see," the red-haired man nodded. "Come on in, guys."

They followed him silently to the living room, and sat down on the plush sofa.

"Any news on Inoue-san?"

Renji shook his head slowly.

"How are you holding up?" Hisagi asked, noticing the dark circles around Renji's eyes.

"Not so good. Mama and Tatsuki locked themselves in their room. To be honest, I don't know what I'm going to do."

His words were greeted with understanding silence.

"We're here to help," Ishida said slowly, breaking the silence.

"Thank you," Renji answered, smiling for the first time since he found out Orihime was missing.

* * * * *

"_Do you think you're special just because you have long, luscious hair?" Senna asked. Her purple hair tied up with a red ribbon, her arms crossed in front of her, hatred visible in her large, orange eyes._

"_Why don't you answer her, _princess_?" another girl asked. Her blond hair was styled short, bangs covering one side of her small face._

_The small, 8-year-old auburn-haired girl, the one those questions directed at, said nothing. She was scared. If only her _Onii-chan_ was here…_

"_Maybe she's deaf, Menoly. Or do you think you're too high and mighty to answer us?" The third voice was coming a girl with long, pigtailed black hair and light-pink eyes. She was wearing the same school uniform as the rest of the girls._

_The three girls were surrounding Inoue Orihime. They were getting tired of her hogging the attention from the teachers and the boys in their school, so they decided it was time to teach the little princess a few lessons._

_They caught her on her way home and immediately cornered the frightened girl._

_Senna, the leader, grabbed a handful of Orihime's soft, silky long hair and yanked it hard, causing her to scream in pain. She flashed an evil smirk, holding a few strands of auburn hair in front of her. The school had a rule; all the female students must keep their hair neatly tied, but Inoue Orihime had the guts to keep her long hair loose. More annoyingly, the teachers didn't seem to mind it at all._

"_Maybe if we get rid of that hideous hair of yours, you'll be able to see that you're not a princess after all!" Menoly threatened._

"_Good call! Cut her hair, Loly!" Senna instructed as she grabbed Orihime's shoulder, stilling her. "Menoly, help me hold the princess!"_

_Menoly followed Senna's order, holding Orihime's head firmly so she wouldn't be able to move. The little princess was now crying and fighting hard to free herself._

_Loly took out a small scissors from her school back and stepped closer to Orihime. Smiling smugly, she was about to cut Orihime's hair when someone kicked her from the side._

_She was thrown against the wall. Wincing in pain, she looked up to see a spiky-haired tomboy._

"_What's your problem, Arisawa Tatsuki?" Senna roared, seeing her friend got hurt._

"_Teaching you a lesson you would never forget."_

"_You should never meddle in other people's business!" Menoly dashed at Tatsuki, lifting her arm to punch the tomboy._

_Tatsuki caught her arm easily, thus successfully blocking her attack before delivering her hard punch on Menoly's face._

_Menoly fell flat on her butt and started to cry. _

_Satisfied, Tatsuki rolled her sleeves higher and stared challengingly at Senna. "Let go of her," she demanded, her tone firm._

_Senna pushed Orihime aside and stood up. "You want a fight, Arisawa?"_

_Tatsuki smiled confidently._

_Senna lurched forward, but Tatsuki managed to dodge her incoming attack, turned around and kicked the other girl in the back, causing her to fall on her face._

"_Now get out of here before I hurt you more!"_

_Realizing that things could get worse if they stayed, the three girls fled the scene. Tatsuki waited until they disappeared before she went over to Orihime's side and squatted in front of the crying girl._

"_Are you alright?"_

_The little girl wiped away her tears, and to Tatsuki's surprise, started grinning widely. "I am fine! Thank you for saving me, Arisawa-chan!"_

"_I'm glad to hear that. But you have to call me Tatsuki or I won't be your friend."_

_Orihime's large, gray eyes were filled with surprise. She never had any real friends because every girl in her class seemed to hate her._

"_Well?"_

"_Yes, Tatsuki-chan!"_

_Patting Orihime's head lightly, Tatsuki smiled at her new friend. "Good girl."_

"_But Tatsuki-chan, you were really strong just now!"_

_Beaming proudly, Tatsuki showed off her toned arm. "I'm learning _karate_, and one day I'm going to be the strongest girl in Japan!"_

_Clapping her hands enthusiastically, Orihime jumped up and down. "Wow! You're so awesome, Tatsuki-chan!"_

"_Maybe I'll teach you some moves one day. But for now, I'll fight those bullies for you."_

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_Tears streaming down her face, heat radiating from the burnt apartment, she could only cried, "Mom! Dad!" _

_She screamed those words, over and over again, but she knew they wouldn't be able to hear her. They were dead._

_A fireman eyed the crying girl sadly. She lost her parents in the fire. In fact, she was the sole survivor. The only person the firemen could save before the building was engulfed in a deadly flame._

_She cried until she lost her voice. She cried, and cried, because there was nothing else she could do. This was one thing she couldn't fix._

_And she was still crying when someone came and hugged her._

"_Tatsuki-chan!"_

"_Orihime…?"_

_She couldn't believe her eyes but her best friend was really there, along with her beautiful mother and her red-haired brother._

"_Hime… They're… dead. My mom and dad… they're dead," Tatsuki sobbed uncontrollably inside Orihime's arms. Orihime patted her back, calming her, comforting her._

_How many times had they been in this position? How often they hugged each other; with one girl crying while the other comforting her? But all these times, Orihime's the one who was crying while she was the girl who tried her best comforting her friend._

_In the course of one night, their roles reversed._

"_Mama, can Tatsuki-chan stay with us? She has nowhere to live now, and no one… no one to…" her voice trailed off as her large gray eyes looked up expectantly at her buxom mother._

_Rangiku sighed. She worked hard to make sure there were foods on the table every night for her, Renji, and Orihime. Customers flocked in and out of Hainerikka ChocoHeaven, but she wasn't sure if the income from those sales would be enough for them if they were to bring Tatsuki into the family._

"_Mama, please… Tatsuki-chan is my best friend… I want to help her."_

"_Orihime…"_

"_I'll help you at the shop! I'll help you make more money! Please…" Orihime pleaded, knowing what was going on inside her mother's mind._

"_I'll look for another job too. Maybe I can work part time as the newspaper delivery boy."_

"_Renji…"_

"_We promise to help you as much as we could, so please let Orihime's friend stay with us."_

"_Is everything alright, madam?" a man's voice interrupted them before Rangiku could answer Renji's pleading._

"_Yes."_

_The fireman nodded. "We're clearing the area so it would be best if you leave this place." Then, gesturing at Tatsuki, he asked, "Is this little girl with you?"_

_A brief pause, then…_

"_Yes."_

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She owed her.

A lot.

So how could she have said all those hurtful words to her?

It was like someone else took control of her body that night, making her act against her own will.

Was it?

Or had love turned her into the horrible person who was jealous of her own best friend?

The very friend who'd held her when she mourned the deaths of her parents.

The very friend whom she'd promised to always fight for.

_What if something bad happened to Orihime? What if she won't have any chance to tell her that she didn't mean those harsh words she said? What if…_

Her thoughts drifted away when she heard a knock on her door.

"Go away. I'm not hungry," she mumbled against her pillow, thinking it was Renji.

"Arisawa-san?"

_That voice…_

"It's me, Uryuu. Can I come in?"

* * * * *

_It was a dark and stormy night, and the rain was falling heavily._

_Rangiku was preparing dinner in the kitchen, while her 6-year-old son waited, his stomach grumbling loudly._

_She was humming a happy tune when there was a loud bang on the door._

_She stood still for a moment, thinking that she must have misheard it, but then it came again. It was louder this time._

"_Please! Let us in!"_

_Startled, her eyes went wide. The banging on the door grew even louder and more urgent._

"_I know someone's inside! Please, open up!"_

_Clutching a ladle close to her chest, the closest thing to a weapon she could think of, she went to the door. _Should I open the door? What if it's a thief? But… what if that person really needs my help?

_She glanced once toward her child before opening the door and saw him playing with his spoon, oblivious to his mother's dilemma._

_Taking a deep breath, she reached for the door handle with her left hand, and raised the ladle up with her other hand, prepared to launch an attack._

_But… the opened door revealed a teenage boy, his hair and clothes soaked wet under the pouring rain._

"_I'm sorry, Madam, but could you please let us in? We haven't had any food for days and we need shelter for the night."_

"_I…" _What if this is all an act? What if he's a bad man?

"_It's fine if you don't want to let me in. But, please bring my baby sister into the warmth of your house and feed her milk," he begged, cutting her off. He shifted the tied cloth across his body carefully; bringing forward a small bundle that had been on his back all the time._

"_Is that… a baby?"_

"_Yes, please feed her or she will die of starvation," he pleaded as he untied the cloth holding the baby. _

_He then placed the bundle on the crook of his arm, his eyes watching the little baby lovingly. With trembling hands, he held the baby in front of him, signaling Rangiku to take her._

_The moment Rangiku held the baby in her arms, she was swept with an overwhelming emotion. She remembered how joyful it was when she gave birth to Renji and how tiny and fragile he seemed to be when she held him for the first time._

_And that baby girl she was holding was awfully thin. She looked pale and she was shivering. But when the little bundle flashed her a toothless smile, she fell in love._

"_You're going to be a very beautiful girl," she whispered, touching the baby's small, cute fist, which the latter grabbed immediately. She then brought Rangiku's finger to her tiny mouth and began sucking. _Poor thing must be really hungry_, Rangiku thought sadly._

"_She will grow up to be a beautiful girl," the teenage boy agreed, startling Rangiku. "Thank you, Madam. I don't know how I can ever repay your kindness, but I will."_

"_I can't let a helpless baby starve to death," Rangiku replied softly, her gaze fixated on the baby girl._

"_What's her name?"_

"_Orihime," he answered proudly._

"_Orihime… And yours?"_

"_Sora. My name is Inoue Sora," he answered, bowing in front of the woman. "You can come in now, Madam. I'll wait outside, but can you please let me have your leftover food, after you've had your dinner?"_

"_I can't do that."_

_Disappointed, he looked down. He was starving. If it weren't for his little Orihime, he would have lost the power and will to stay alive._

"_That's why I want you to come inside as well, so you can join me and my son for dinner."_

_When he looked up, his tired face was filled with gratitude for the kind-hearted woman. "Thank you! Thank you, Madam!"_

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_Inoue Sora turned up to be a great help around the house. He was a very hardworking man and he liked helping Rangiku._

_He was only a couple of years younger than her and neighbors started to speculate. There were rumors that Rangiku was co-habiting with a young boy. They even had a lovechild; the auburn-haired toddler who surprisingly had a lot of resemblance to the young widow._

_Rangiku turned deaf ears to those rumors and speculations. People were always talking about her ever since she came to Karakura because she was a single mother._

_But it was different for Sora. The kind boy was feeling guilty because he believed his arrival in the Matsumoto's household had caused those rumors. He promised her that he would leave the house once he had enough money._

"_Don't be ridiculous," Matsumoto often told him. "You and Orihime are like family to me. I don't mind having you around."_

"_But…"_

"_Don't worry about the rumors. I'm used to it."_

_And that would shut him up._

_But they were not aware that someone else was deeply affected by those rumors as well._

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"_R-Rangiku-san…"_

_The injured boy was on his stomach, crawling on the ground, leaving red trails behind him._

_Rangiku dropped the groceries she was holding and rushed over to his side. Renji clutched Orihime's hand tighter, stopping the toddler in her tracks._

"_Sora-san… Who? Who did this to you?"_

"_I-it's him…"_

_Rangiku began to sob. She knew who'd done the dirty deeds. It was plain to see, judging by the scratched wounds all over Sora's body._

"_He… b-believed… the rumors…"_

"_Stop talking. I'll get help."_

_But she couldn't move. She knew that Sora was beyond help at that point. Those wounds weren't done by knives, they were inflicted by claws. His claws._

"_Are you telling me nothing is going on between you and that boy?" her boyfriend had asked a few days ago._

"_He needed food and shelter, so I gave him. And now he's helping me around the house."_

"_Perhaps you need his help to keep you warm at nights!"_

_She lifted her hand to slap him but he caught it easily._

"_All this time when I offered help, you refused to accept it. But now you're glad he's helping you? I'm not a fool, Rangiku!"_

"_But you sure are acting like one!"_

_He spat on the ground and right at that moment, a crazy thought flashed inside her head. She was thinking of how handsome he looked with his silver hair shining under the evening sun._

"_Tell him to watch his back! I don't like my woman living with another man!"_

_She was sobbing harder now, as her mind played her last conversation with her lover. She thought it was just empty threats. But… But…_

_The feel of Sora's blood-soaked hand on her skin startled her._

"_P-please…"_

_She could only nodded._

"_T-take care… of Hime…"_

"_I will… I will… Please don't die, Sora…"_

_With all his effort, he managed one last, grateful smile. Then, she watched his mouth moved, but no words came out. But she knew what he wanted to say._

"_You're welcome, Inoue Sora."_

_As his smile faded, so did his life…_

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"Rangiku…"

Hisagi sat beside the crying woman on the bed. He reached out his hand and began running his fingers through her hair, soothing her.

But it only succeeded in making her cry harder.

"Hey…"

Then suddenly, she sat up and threw herself into his arms. Sighing heavily, he wrapped his strong arms around her, letting her cry into his broad chest.

"I've broken my promise…"

He couldn't think of anything wise to say.

"I promised him I would take care of her… What if… What if…"

"Sshhh…" he said, stopping her before she could ask that dreaded question.

"I'm a bad mother…"

"No, you're not…"

"I've almost lost her once, and now it's happening again! How can you say I'm not a bad mother?"

He planted a soft kiss on her forehead.

"She's alright… Everything will be alright…"

She sighed.

_Oh, how much she wanted to believe his sweet words…_

* * * * *

"Now that you're convinced I'm doing fine, you can leave, Ishida-san."

She was sitting on her bed, while he was in the small chair in front of her dressing table.

Ishida let his gaze lingered on her. Then, pushing his glasses up his nose, he said, "You don't look fine."

She let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine. You can stay there. I want to sleep."

She lied, closed her eyes, hoping he would take the hint and exited her room.

"You were crying, weren't you?"

"Is that a strange thing?"

"I find that… very unusual for a strong girl like you."

"Maybe I'm not as strong as I appeared to be." After a brief pause, she added in a soft voice, "Maybe you don't know me at all…"

"It's true that I don't really know you, but I know you well enough to see that you're feeling guilty."

"So what if I am?"

"Abarai-kun told me what happened."

"And now you're here to blame me," Tatsuki snorted.

Ishida stood up and walked slowly to the bed. He sat down, grabbed Tatsuki's shoulder and pulled her small body to face his.

"I'm not here to blame anyone. But I'm here if you need someone to talk to."

She didn't how many times she had dreamt of him touching her. Her heart started jumping inside her chest.

"I-I said hurtful things to her…"

Ishida nodded, encouraging her to go on.

"I don't know why I did it, but at that moment, I-I just wanted to hurt her. To give her a taste of her own medicine…"

"You were mad at her. Had she done anything wrong to you?"

She bowed her head, hiding her blush. "She know that I l-like you… But then I saw you guys holding hands and smiling that night… It hurt me so much because she betrayed me…"

Ishida was silent for a few seconds and she thought he was mad at her. But then, surprisingly, he lifted her face up with, his hand caressing her chin. She noticed his colored cheeks as he stared at her.

"So that's why you're so mad, huh?"

"Mm-hm…"

"We were just talking that night. I noticed that she was upset about something so I patted her hand to comfort her."

"T-that's all?"

"Yes. She never had feelings for me. Instead, she kept convincing me to ask you out for a date." Then, he added, "And I never had feelings for her."

"Really?"

Ishida cleared his throat, "Yes, because there was someone else I like."

"Oh."

He chuckled at her disappointed tone.

"You're that _someone_… Tatsuki."

"Oh." Then, "E-eh?"

* * * * *

The door was knocked for the second time that day. Cursing, Renji opened the door.

"You!"

The orange-haired man was surprised to see him as well.

"Didn't I tell you never to show up here again?"

"Didn't I tell you I wouldn't ever listen to you?"

"Stop being a smartass! What the hell do you want?"

"I wanted to see your sister. I noticed the shop was closed, that's why I came here," Ichigo explained, gesturing toward the closed shop next to the house.

"I told you to stop seeing her!" Renji yelled in disbelief.

"And I told you, you can't stop me from seeing someone I like."

Renji let out a frustrated groan. "She's not home."

"Where is she?"

Renji thought of saying something that would hurt the other man, but seeing his worried expression, he chose to tell the truth.

"Orihime is missing."

"Missing? What do you mean… missing?"

"She hasn't returned home for two days."

"What?" Ichigo's hands was gripping Renji's collar. "Was she kidnapped?"

"Let go of me!"

"Sorry…" Ichigo muttered, releasing his hold.

Renji smoothed his wrinkled shirt. "I don't know. Nobody called in for ransom yet."

Ichigo seemed to think for a moment. Then he turned around and began running toward his car.

"Hey, Kurosaki! Where are you going?"

"I'll look for her!" Ichigo answered, his mind was focused on finding her auburn-haired beauty that he failed to register the fact that Renji had called his name despite him never telling it to the red-haired man. "And I will save her if she's in danger!"

Renji watched as Ichigo drove away, realizing for the first time that they hadn't informed Ulquiorra about Orihime's disappearance.

* * * * *

Her hands were tapped together behind her back, so were her legs and her mouth, and her small body was tied tightly to the chair.

She couldn't scream, and she couldn't move.

Every single movement she attempted, the tapes would tighten around her skin, hurting her, and so would the large rope tied around her middle section.

Her tears were dried now. Every time the door to the dark cellar opened, she looked up, wishing she would see her brother's relieved face. Or Ulquiorra's. Or Ichigo's…

But what she saw were the faces of her captors.

They would come to feed her. Sometimes, they would come to torture her. They asked her stuffs about Ulquiorra and when she refused to tell them, they would hurt her, slapped her, punched her, and kicked her.

She whimpered. She bled. But she would never give in to them. Those men were Ulquiorra's enemies, she was sure of that, and she would not help them.

She would rather die than revealing Ulquiorra's secrets and weaknesses to them.

"Still holding up, woman?"

She looked up to see a man grinning evilly at her.

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_**I cannot go to the ocean**_

_**I cannot try the streets at night**_

_**I cannot wake up in the morning**_

_**Without you on my mind…**_

* * *

**Serious Author's Ramblings : **I am actually going to say a serious thing in here so I hope none of you skipped this part. Here's the thing, a friend of mine PM me a couple of days ago, about a fic that's posted under IchiHime but it's actually not & that it upsets her. I went to check that fic, and there was actually another fic, from a different author, posted under IchiHime when actually that person trashed Hime in the fic and in the end said that Ichigo & So-So (u know who) belong together and that Hime has zero chance of getting him. It pissed me off, because whoever that person is, he/she/it made it personal. I mean, **SERIOUSLY!** Orihime, Ichigo & that So-So character were fictional characters. They're characters in a manga, drawn by a human!! Are they worth hurting or upsetting other people? People, stop the hate, stop this ridiculous pairing war! We humans are different, so it's normal if we like different pairings. But that don't mean we have to hate certain pairings. I myself dislike a few pairings, but does that mean I go around ridiculing those pairings, trashing the characters in rivaling pairings, or upload story in the name of the pairings I hate only so I can make my favorite pairings end up together, just so I can hurt their supporters? No. Instead, I write stories about my favorite pairing!

Those acts are immature, inconsiderate and plain stupid. If you have so many free time, why don't you go and save the world? Or find vaccines for incurable diseases or look for solution for human beings' ever-decreasing morality? If you're a kid (because like I said, you act immature) I suggest you stop reading Bleach, because it is seriously messing up your head. Because for me, a writer should write for his/her readers' enjoyment, not because you hope that people will get hurt and upset after they read your story! If the real reason you write was to hurt people, then don't call yourself a writer! I know some writers in the IchiHime section had mentioned this before, but this irresponsible act is still going on. Maybe I can't stop them but the most important reason why I write this long rambling is I want to advise my fellow IchiHime fans, don't EVER think of doing the same thing to other pairings! Don't be one of those irresponsible, immature, inconsiderate, and stupid people!

As for me, I can say that I am a **PROUD IchiHime shipper**. Why? 1) - because I love the characters, & 2) - I spent months lurking in different pairing fanclubs but I am proud to say that IchiHime fans are the most loving and warm and welcoming of all. We rarely trash other pairings (though we did get overexcited a few times when Ichigo don't treat So-So this way & we sometimes get defensive when poor Hime is trashed, but that's just a part of the game). I'm not saying everyone who ship other rivaling pairings are awful people because I know a few who are very open-minded, nice and are simply awesome! And I'm not saying that all IchiHime shippers are angels either.

I hope this will knock some sense into anyone who'd done the stupid acts I mentioned above and for anyone who's thinking or planning on doing it! Sorry if I offended anyone. Anyway, hope you all have a good day! XD


	12. ACT XII : The Only Exception

**Author's Note : **Hi my lovely Readers, I'm here with Chapter 12! I miss you guys! Sorry for the delay but this is the hardest chapter to write. But it could also be because of my smexy Renji wallpaper that I recently put up, which I spent too much time just gazing and drooling at, LOL! *shot* No, seriously, so much is happening here in this chapter that I got overwhelmed! I hope you guys won't get confused, because there are lots of separate fight scenes happening at the same time. And I'm really, really bad at writing fight scenes so I hope this chapter won't disappoint you guys. I re-check and re-write things but I'm not feeling so good about it. *cries*

Anyway, I would like to thank the reviewers for Chapter 11 : **Dark Vizard447**, **glon morski**, **Blitch**, **beachbabe03**, **zodious**, **CuteC** (thank you for telling me that my story make you feel better! XD) **Fostersb** (I hope this chapter won't make you sad...), **AvioNN**, **MrsMoshae**, **Ever Angel 27**, **miss dramatikk**, **mariquyta**, **Miss L**, **cheerleader40404**, **Bleached Hearts**, **Alatarial Elf**, and finally **killer joker** who reviewed Chapter 1. You guys are AMAZING!! Thank you so, so much! =)

For those who reviewed **It's Only Words**, thanks a lot! I was surprised at the amount of reviews for that story because I didn't expect people to like that story! I'm sorry I couldn't reply you guys though, because of my demanding and hectic life.

And I'm changing my pen name as well, to a name that I had always wished to use should I ever publish any books in the future! (If only that would happen…)

I hope you guys will enjoy this chapter as much as you did the other chapters, though it might not be as good as some past chapters… *cries* Have a good day, everyone! And… review, please? XD

**Warning :** Violence, cursing, and grammatical errors… ('cause this chapter is the longest I ever write so I'm pretty sure I made a few mistakes in it, sorry), OOC-ness (especially Keigo & maybe Ichigo).

**Disclaimer :** I don't own Bleach. If I write Bleach, I wouldn't drag the FKT fight this long. & I included lyrics from **Paramore's The Only Exception** in this chapter.

* * *

_**Maybe I know, somewhere**_

_**Deep in my soul**_

_**That love never lasts**_

_**And we've got to find other ways**_

_**To make it alone**_

_**Or keep a straight face**_

_**And I've always lived like this**_

_**Keeping a comfortable, distance**_

_**And up until now**_

_**I had sworn to myself that I'm content**_

_**With loneliness**_

_**Because none of it was ever worth the risk**_

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Rough, calloused fingers caressed her face.

She flinched.

The man flashed another evil smirk, letting his hand lingered on her smooth skin for a few seconds. Then, he walked away, grabbed a chair and sat across from her, legs spread wide, intense gaze boring into her.

"I'm feeling very chatty today. So, why don't we talk?"

She said nothing.

"Let's talk about your rich fiancé."

"No!"

"Why not? You love him, don't you? Women like to talk about the men they love."

"I won't tell you anything!"

He sighed, got up, and walked to her side. He fished for something in his jeans' pocket. When he held up a small knife in front of her, she gasped.

"You are beautiful. It's understandable why Ulquiorra chose you to be his mate. But will he stay with you if your face is horribly scarred?"

She knew what he wanted her to do. He would do anything to make her give in, and it scared her to death, but she refused to cry. Not this time. _I have to be strong_, she told herself, _for Ulquiorra-kun_.

He licked the sharp blade and smirked in satisfaction when he saw her eyes widened in fear. _If the bitch wanted to play this cat-and-mouse chase, he would gladly comply, and in the end he would make her surrender to him._

"Looks like it's pretty sharp, right? But I've never actually tested it," he taunted her, dangling the shiny knife in front of her again.

Then, slowly, he brought it down, pressing it lightly into her left cheek, that hateful grin never leaving his face. She winced when she felt the sharp, cold blade on her skin.

"Not so brave now, are we?" he asked, noting her slightly trembling body.

But she kept her mouth shut, fighting the fear growing in her heart. If he were to press harder, he could easily hurt her. Even if she never cared much about cosmetics and looking pretty, she would hate to have her face scarred.

"Now, if you be a good girl and give me what I want, I might not hurt you…"

Ulquiorra's kind face flashed inside her mind. He'd done so much for her. She must not give in to her fear. "No!"

"What?" His grin was no longer visible now.

"I said, no! I won't help you!"

"Bitch…" he hissed, and pressed the small knife harder.

Pain shot up through her. The evil smirk returned to his face, and he was about to increase the pressure in his hand when the basement door swung open.

"Grimmjow!"

* * * *

_A FEW HOURS EARLIER…_

"_Nii-sama?"_

"_Rukia."_

_She stared up the tall, handsome man who was once her brother-in-law. He adopted her into his family when her sister, Hisana had died, and offered to let her stay with him even if her sister was already gone. But she refused, left his clan and followed Ichigo's, because her heart belonged with her friends._

"_Keep our family's name," those were the words Byakuya said to her when she was about to leave the Kuchiki Manor. "Once a Kuchiki, you will always be a Kuchiki."_

"_Thank you, Nii-sama…" she answered, and bid her adopted family goodbye._

_She hadn't seen him ever since._ How many years had it been? A hundred? Two hundreds? Maybe more... _They exchanged letters in the past, but that was all. But now, he was standing right in front of her._

"_How are you, Nii-sama?"_

"_I'm fine," he smiled, and she realized how much she missed that smile. "You?"_

"_I'm doing great!"_

"_Good…"_

_They fell into an awkward silence. Millions of thoughts crossed her mind. _

Should I hug him? No, he would be too surprised.

Should I shake his hands instead? No, idiot! It would be way too formal!

"_Rukia…"_

Should I~

"_Rukia."_

"_E-eh?"_

"_You've grown up to be a beautiful woman, just like your sister."_

_She blushed at his proud remark. "T-thank you, Nii-sama."_

"_Oh, Rukia-chan? What a pleasant surprise to see you here!"_

_At the sound of the cheery familiar voice, she turned around to find herself gazing into the eyes of a man with long, wavy brown hair, his bangs framing the left side of his smiling face. Rukia eyes went wide when she took in the striking, flowered pink kimono he draped across his shoulders and the straw hat he placed neatly on the top of his head._

"_Kyouraku-san!"_

"_Nice to see you've blossomed into a beautiful woman, Rukia-chan!"_

_He made a move, attempting to hug Rukia but she avoided instinctively. Kyouraku Shunsui was about to make another attempt when someone grabbed his shoulder._

"_That is no way to treat a lady. You're scaring her."_

"_Captain Ukitake!"_

_Rukia's face lit up immediately when she saw the man who used to be her teacher. The man who guided her into embracing her animal nature. He was by her side when she first transformed. He was always around when she needed someone to talk to. He gave her directions whenever she got lost. He was her Captain._

_Ukitake Juushirou smiled kindly at her, his long, white hair flowed softly behind his back._

"_It's been a while, Rukia."_

"_Captain, I'm so happy to see you here!"_

_She then proceeded to give him an awkward hug. Kyouraku eyed them enviously, muttering, "I wish my Nanao-chan would hug me like that."_

_Ukitake laughed while Byakuya kept his mouth shut. Ukitake patted Rukia's head lightly, "And I'm so happy to see you're doing great."_

"_Yama-jii said hi, by the way."_

"_Really?" she asked in disbelief._

"_Yeah, everyone misses you a lot, Rukia-chan."_

"_Please send my regards to them, Kyouraku-san, Captain Ukitake."_

_They both nodded, smiling tenderly at the petite woman._

"_I'm sorry to interrupt this wonderful reunion, but Rukia, I'm afraid we should take our leave now."_

"_Nii-sama?"_

"_We're here for a meeting with Aizen."_

Meeting with Aizen? This is strange. Although they were of the same breed, both packs never see eye to eye. What is going on here?

"_We'll see you again after the meeting, Rukia." Ukitake said, giving her another hug._

"_Okay..." she replied quietly and watched as the three men walked further away from her._

What is going on here?_ The thought repeated itself inside her head._

"_Rukia!"_

_She turned to see her best friend, sweating and out-of-breath, his hands resting on his knees, his body bent._

"_Ichigo?"_

_Still gasping for breath, he couldn't answer her._

"_Ichigo. Nii-sama is here. Do you know~"_

"_Forget Byakuya. I need your help!"_

"_Eh?"_

* * * * *

The teal-haired man glared at his subordinates. "What?"

"That punk Kurosaki is here, along with his friends."

"Damn it!! What is that bastard doing here anyway?"

"What do you want us to do, Grimmjow?"

He glanced across the room at their eager faces. Slowly, his trademark evil smile returned to his face. "Shawlong, Edrad, Yylfordt, Di Roy, Nakeem!"

"Yes!!" they answered simultaneously.

"Secure the area! And kill every single one of them!"

"Yes, Grimmjow!!"

* * * * *

"What are we doing here, Uryuu?"

She eyed the large, abandoned house located deep in the forest. Things were eerily quiet and she didn't like it one bit. Ishida had practically dragged her here. At first when they reached the forest, she was intrigued, thinking he had planned a secret rendezvous for them, but as they went deeper into the forest, fear grew inside her heart.

"We're rescuing Inoue-san."

"What? How do you know where she is?"

"I..." he paused, seeming to consider something. "It's my instinct."

"I don't believe in instincts."

"Just trust me on this one, okay?"

She wanted to disagree. She was a woman who took pride in her independence. She never let anyone make any decisions for her. _But… there's always a first to everything, right?_

"Okay, I~"

The bush rattled. Alerted, Ishida immediately stepped forward, shielding Tatsuki with his body.

"Uryuu?"

"Oh? What an interesting sight we have here! A gentleman all set to protect his girlfriend!"

Up on a tree, a man was staring down at them, his feet appeared to be glued to the branch, his long braided hair flapped against his back.

"Cease your useless intimidation, intruder! Tell me where Inoue-san is!"

"It was wrong of me to call you a gentleman, seeing how you spoke so harshly. I don't know any Inoue-san. And my name is Shawlong Kufang, remember that," he stated calmly. "Moreover, I think you are the one intruding this place."

"Then I was right, wasn't I? Inoue-san must be here. Why should you worry about this abandoned place being intruded? Unless you're keeping something or someone valuable in here."

Shawlong let out an amused laugh. "You're pretty smart."

He jumped, and landed on all four in front of them. "Then, why don't you figure out what I am with that bright head of yours?" he snarled.

"I've known what kind of animal you are ever since I saw you."

"Uryuu, what is going on here? Who is this man? Is Orihime here?" Tatsuki asked, completely at lost.

"Yes, and we will save her," he answered, turned around and delivered a blow expertly on her neck, making sure he hit the right spot to knock her unconscious.

"I'm sorry, Tatsuki," he whispered as he caught her falling body.

* * * * *

"If Grimmjow is the one who did it, he would be too stupid to leave this place unguarded," Mizuiro spoke as soon they neared the abandoned house.

"Mizuiro is right," Keigo agreed. "He must have had this whole place secured."

"Keigo and I will cover the area from right and left. You guys go on ahead."

Ichigo nodded. "Thanks, guys! Be careful."

Mizuiro and Keigo disappeared around the corners. Ichigo, Rukia, and Chad proceeded to the front door.

Rukia pondered on the situation as they moved. _Who is this person that Ichigo wants to rescue so badly? Why was she kidnapped? Why Grimmjow is the one doing the deed? And… does Nii-sama have anything to do with it?_

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't realize Ichigo and Chad had stopped in their tracks. She ran against Chad's back and winced in pain at the contact.

"Ow! What the hell are you guys stopping so suddenly for?"

"They knew we're coming."

"What?"

"It's Edrad."

A large man stood facing them, his arms crossed. "Hello," he said calmly.

Rukia grabbed Ichigo's collar, pulling him down to face her.

"Ichigo! I'll handle him. You and Chad go save her."

"Are you crazy? I can't leave you alone here!"

"Look, you know I can take Edrad. Besides, we came here to save that friend of yours, so you shouldn't waste time arguing with me out here."

Ichigo fell silent for a moment, deliberating his options before he reluctantly agreed with her. "Okay..."

"Now go!"

Chad bowed slightly at her and began running towards the entrance. Edrad made no effort to stop the two men, knowing Grimmjow was waiting eagerly inside.

"Rukia!"

Their eyes locked. She hated the worried look in Ichigo's amber gaze.

"Be careful, okay? Don't overdo it!"

"Idiot! You should know better than worry about me!"

Ichigo gave her an assuring grin and followed Chad into the house, screaming silently.

_Wait for me, Inoue! I'm coming to save you!_

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_**But you are the only exception**_

_**You are the only exception**_

_**You are the only exception**_

_**You are the only exception…**_

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"That punk had always gave me a hard time!"

She stared at her captor. He was obviously mad about something.

"I don't know why he's here! But it's okay, I'm just going to kill him this time!"

_Who is he talking about? Was it Ulquiorra-kun? Please, God, don't let him come here!_

"I'm going to make sure you'll enjoy the show, woman."

"What are you talking about? Is it Ulquiorra-kun? Please, don't hurt him! He's a good man~"

"Shut up, bitch!"

He slapped her hard.

She could taste blood in her mouth, and the burning sensation on her skin where his palm had landed grew stronger.

She prayed silently, hoping that it wasn't Ulquiorra who'd come to save her. She was still praying when the man coming to save her opened the basement door and jumped down.

She looked at him in horror.

_Oh, no! Not Kurosaki-kun!_

* * * * *

"Do you know how long I've waited for this, brother?"

Mizuiro stared silently at his opponent. "I never knew you've held a grudge against me for a very long time."

Yylfordt laughed. "You and your damn friends annoyed me. You felt like you were invincible just because you're close with that brat Aizen called his nephew!"

"Then I guess this will be a great opportunity for you to lash out at me."

"Bring it on, brother!"

They leaped at each other, transforming while they're midair. Mizuiro lashed out at Yylfordt's furry throat as soon as they landed, sinking his sharp teeth into the other wolf's flesh.

Yylfordt yanked himself away from Mizuiro. Snarling, he lurched forward at Mizuiro, successfully knocking him down with his slightly larger form, and proceeded to bite into his opponent's neck.

Mizuiro let out a sharp yelp of pain when he felt Yylfordt's teeth tore into his flesh. With all his might, using his strong hind legs, he tried to kick Yylfordt's body away from him.

He failed. Yylfordt was pinning him to the ground. He kicked again, and this time his legs managed to hit Yylfordt's stomach, causing him to roll away in pain, whimpering.

* * * * *

Keigo hated to fight. He disliked getting injured and having blood and dirt all over his body. He hated it so he had always looked for a way to escape whenever he was caught in a fight.

But this time, there was absolutely no chance to escape.

_I have to do this_, he thought, as he stared at the huge black wolf in front of him, twice his size. They were snarling at each other, pacing around back at forth, waiting for the right moment to launch their attacks.

Keigo felt the thudding pain in his left hind leg, where Nakeem had bit a few seconds ago. The pain grew worse every time he made his movement.

He strategized in his mind, weighing the options he had, and trying to figure out the best way to knock down his opponent. He had to win, meaning he had to defeat an opponent who had an advantage of having a much larger form than he was.

The only advantage he had was his speed. Nakeem might be incredulously large, but his massive size made him much slower than Keigo.

_Ichigo better be grateful_, Keigo thought, and lurched forward.

* * * * *

They were both limping. Rukia's blood was dripping to the ground, her thick fur now covered with blood. Her stomach was badly wounded, but she had managed to bite into Edrad's throat and she could see he was weakening as well.

Her last chance at winning was to successfully tear his artery.

I have to do this, or he'll kill me, she thought, and sprung toward him, aiming straight for his throat.

She sunk her teeth into his large neck. He thrashed around, trying to free himself, but she held on, ignoring the pain he induced every time he kicked her wounded middle section.

With a loud growl, she yanked her teeth away from him, successfully tearing his pulsing vein. Blood spurted through his wounds. They both collapsed on the ground.

As she watched his body convulsed violently, she felt her body weakened and cursed at the first spasm cursing through her. _Why is it they always have to revert to their human form whenever they're injured?_

Her fur disappeared under her skin and her claws began to shorten as her whole body changed and she became the petite woman that she was.

She curled up her naked, trembling body, trying not to touch the open wound in her stomach.

_Am I going to die here?_

Then she remembered Keigo and Mizuiro. They will come for her once they finished their opponents, if, they weren't badly injured as she was.

She let out a frustrated laugh at the possibility but winced when she felt the unbearable pain in her middle.

She tried to crawl away towards the shady tree when she heard someone laughed.

"Ah… Rukia-san! How cruel it is for Edrad to leave you dying like this! Perhaps I can help finish the deed so you can feel much better?"

_Shit! It's Di Roy! How can she not sense his presence during the fight just now? Oh, shit!_

Baring his oddly shaped teeth, Di Roy lifted up his hand, and her heart sank when she saw the large scissors he was carrying.

There was nothing else she could do. She was too weak to even move. She couldn't fight him.

She closed her eyes, waiting for the fatal blow to be delivered, waiting for the blades to sink deep into her already wounded body.

But it never came.

_Instead…_

She heard the sound of a kick, Di Roy's screaming and the sound of the scissors falling on the ground, right next to her.

"Trying to attack a lady who's barely able to move is a pretty cowardly act, don't you think?"

She opened her eyes.

"Renji…?"

* * * * *

Renji removed his jacket and covered Rukia's naked, shivering body carefully.

"Watch where your eyes are looking," she warned him and he laughed.

"Don't worry," he assured her. "I've always secretly wanted to see you naked, but not like this."

Despite her pain, she laughed. She wish she was not lying there half-dead so she could smack his head.

"What's a human doing in the middle of the battle between beasts?" the blond, grinning man asked as he watched their interactions.

"I don't know about beasts. But we human will not just stand and watch someone hurt an injured lady."

Di Roy spat. "A lady? She's not even human! That _thing_ lying there is an animal like me! Don't you see what she'd done to my friend?"

Rukia covered her ears. _Renji's going to think that I'm a monster_.

Renji glanced briefly at Edrad's dead body. "She might not be a normal human like I am, but I know she did that to help a friend. And that was a very humanly thing to do."

Tears started forming in her eyes. She always knew that Renji was a nice man, but to hear those sweet words from him…

"You humans are fool!" Di Roy snarled and began to change.

Rukia's eyes widened in horror as she witnessed the fur growing on Di Roy's body, his claws lengthening. "Renji, watch out!"

Di Roy leaped, successfully knocking Renji down and pinning him to the ground. Renji grabbed the wolf's jaw, keeping him from sinking its' long teeth into any part of his body. Drops of saliva fell on Renji's face and he fought a crazy urge to wipe them off.

Then, he saw the scissors Di Roy had dropped earlier, its sharp blades glinted under the sun. Keeping his right hand firmly on Di Roy's mouth, he grabbed the knife.

With a grunt, Renji drove the scissors into Di Roy's stomach. The wolf struggled to back away, but he kept his grip firm, holding the whimpering animal in its' spot, and wrapped his strong legs around the thrashing wolf.

Using his left hand, he brought the sharp scissors up, tearing open Di Roy's flesh. He stopped when he reached the beast's chest, and at the spot he figured where Di Roy's heart was, he rammed the blades deeper.

Di Roy let out his final whimper. Renji released his grip and pushed the dying animal away from him. He got up and watched Di Roy's body began reverting to his human form.

He wiped away the blood and sweat on his forehead as he walked over to Rukia.

He crouched next to the petite woman. "That was pretty easy."

"Don't get so full of yourself. Di Roy was the weakest."

He laughed. "I like to think it was the result of my hard training."

Carefully, he placed his right hand under her neck, and his left hand under her legs. He lifted her up easily and began moving away from the abandoned house.

"Wait, where are we going?"

"You're injured. I must get you treated."

"But, my friend…"

"They're all fine. I watched all your fights while I'm up on a tree."

"I see…"

She closed her eyes, inhaling his masculine scent. She always thought of herself as a warrior, a fighter, but… It felt nice to be saved by someone once in a while.

Especially by _someone_ like Renji…

"Renji…"

"Hm?"

"How did you find us?"

"Perhaps I've been stalking you." She pinched his chest, and he screamed in pain. "Ow! Don't do that! I followed that orange-head friend of yours. I was shocked to see you with him. What are you guys doing here anyway?"

"I don't know. Ichigo said he needed our help to save someone."

_Save someone? Could it be... Orihime?_ His heart began to accelerate at the thought of his lovely sister captured and kept inside that abandoned house. _But, Rukia is badly injured... I have to ensure her safety first, then I'll come back here. I just have to trust that carrot-top..._

"Now that you know I'm not a human, will you still be my friend?" she asked, jolting him out of his thoughts.

Renji turned his gaze to her. "I wouldn't save you if I don't want to be your friend anymore," he answered, smirking.

She buried her face into his broad chest. "Thank you, Renji…"

* * * * *

Mizuiro handed over a clean pair of t-shirt and jeans to Keigo, who waited under a tree.

"Put these on quickly. We've got to help the others."

Keigo followed Mizuiro's instructions obediently.

"How's your leg?"

"It's fine. I can't run, but I'll live."

"Glad to hear that."

"Mizuiro…"

"Yeah?"

"Do you know what is going on here? Why did Grimmjow and his gang capture Ichigo's friend?"

"I don't know." Staring at the house, he added, "Let's go in to find out."

* * * * *

Tatsuki opened her eyes to a warm tongue licking her face.

Screaming in surprise, she scrambled away from the animal looming above her. Her eyes scanned the area for Ishida, but he was nowhere to be seen, and so was the man who'd sneaked up on them earlier.

The only living creature in the vicinity was an injured Dalmatian, barking at her.

She moved slowly toward the dog and began rubbing its head slowly. "Poor boy… Were you hurt because of me?"

The dog growled softly in response.

"Come with me. I'll take care of your wounds."

Tatsuki began her exit, the dog limping slowly behind her.

* * * * *

Orihime could only watch as the men fought before her.

She watched in horror when Ichigo ran to her earlier, but Grimmjow kicked him in the stomach and he was sent sprawling against the wall.

Then Grimmjow began his change, it was nothing new to her, since she'd witnessed Ulquiorra's transformation. But when the large, dark man coming with Ichigo had ripped off his clothing, her eyes widened in fear. She started trembling when she saw his muscles rippling and growing larger. When the large man let out a loud roar, she wanted to cover her ears, because his voice was so loud. So loud that it started to hurt her ears.

_It's almost like watching a man changing into Incredible Hulk_, she thought.

She watched, as Grimmjow and Ichigo's friend whose form had enlarged thrice his original size, began their fight.

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_**And I'm on my way to believing**_

_**Oh, and I'm on my way to believing…**_

* * *

I wanted to have Orihime rescued by the end of this chapter but I was afraid it would be too long. Besides, there were already too much fight scenes in this chapter that I decided to write Grimmjow's fight in the next chapter. Sorry!

*goes off to drown myself in Renji's sexy gaze*

_**Review, please?**_


	13. ACT XIII : Dilemmas

**Warning :** Violence, swearing, & grammatical errors…

**Disclaimer :** I don't own Bleach.

* * *

He'd never felt so dejected in his life.

If only he were stronger.

He would be the one fighting for her.

Instead, he was sprawled like a useless rag on the floor after one lousy kick. He was the one having to depend on his best friends, because he was too weak to save her on his own.

He wished he could protect her.

Seeing her tied to the chair, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth, his heart sank. He ran to her without thinking. It was careless, and as a result, he didn't see Grimmjow's attack coming.

Though he was stronger than most normal human, he was no match for Grimmjow. If it weren't for Chad, Grimmjow would have gladly ended his life right there and then.

_I wish I was stronger…_ he thought, his weak amber gaze focusing on Chad's bare back.

* * * * *

Ready to sprint and attack, Grimmjow snarled at the large creature before him.

He was much bigger than most werewolves. He had clean, white fur, and oddly, there were streaks of teal fur above his eyelids, around his neck and also at the end of his tail. His paws, too, had that same odd color. Blue was not a color expected to be seen on a werewolf, but so was blue hair on a man.

He was strong, one of the strongest among the younger werewolves in their clan. Should it be Mizuiro, Keigo, or Rukia who had came to fight him, he could easily kill them, but Chad was a problem, because unlike those losers Kurosaki called his best friends, Chad was not a werewolf. Chad was… _something else_.

His teal eyes fell on the man's exposed chest – revealing his bulging muscles and veins that looked like they could pop out from under his skin in just any seconds, his tall frame – much, much taller than when he was normal, and his wild, shaggy hair covering his face.

Yeah, it will be hard to take the guy down.

Because he was a mythical being just as much as Grimmjow was.

Sado Yasutora was a… _berserker_.

* * * * *

Legends implied that they were descendants of the Gods, mentioned frequently in ancient literatures. Sado Yasutora was the last of his kind.

When he transformed, his eyes could no longer distinguish friends from foes. Blinded by fury, his mind incapable to register any human emotions. His eyes were bloodshot, his size increasing greatly; he was a creature to be feared.

Legends said that weapon and iron couldn't bite into them, but Grimmjow could only hope that his long, sharp claws would be able to at least hurt him.

Chad let out another loud roar and marched forward toward the four-legged beast, the earth shaking with his every step. Not one to wait and get crushed, Grimmjow leaped forward, attempting to claw at Chad, but he was brushed off easily with one swift movement of the berserker's hand.

Grimmjow was thrown to the floor with a loud thud, but he was back on his paws immediately.

Like an enraged gorilla, Chad started beating on his naked torso with his large fists. Then, he began punching blindly at Grimmjow, who did his best evading the lethal attacks with his agile body. Had one of those punches landed successfully on him, Grimmjow knew he would be crushed.

Despite his large form, Chad's attacks were fast and Grimmjow is getting tired from all the jumping around he had to do to avoid the punches.

_I can't keep avoiding him forever_, Grimmjow decided, _I need to counterattack!_

Avoiding another deadly punch, he leaped forward and this time managed to bite into Chad's large shoulder. Chad roared and tried to shake the animal off but Grimmjow held on, biting deeper until he could taste blood.

Pained, the berserker grabbed Grimmjow's body and wrenched himself free, then proceeded to throw the animal away from him.

Grimmjow whimpered when his back hit the wall, but was satisfied at the same time, seeing Chad's wounded shoulder.

He was about to launch another attack when suddenly; Chad's body fell forward with a loud crash. Then he felt a sharp pain in his stomach. Looking down, he saw what appeared to be a large needle sticking out of his flesh.

He felt dizzy, and then a sense of blackness overpowered him.

* * * * *

Ichigo's eyes widened in confusion when he saw Chad fell down, unconscious. Soon after, Grimmjow followed suit.

"Who~"

"We're here, Ichigo-kun," a familiar voice announced, coming from behind Chad's still body.

Two men were standing in front of him, Tousen Kaname and Ichimaru Gin whose hand was still holding the tranquilizer gun.

"Tousen, let's check on Grimmjow and Sado." His gaze lingered a moment on Orihime. Then, averting his eyes to Ichigo, he spoke in a softer tone, "Go save your lady friend."

Ichigo got up and made his way slowly toward Orihime, keeping his head bowed. He was too ashamed to meet her eyes. He was ashamed of his weakness, his inability to fight for her.

He reached out his hands to untie her. She flinched. _She must be scared of me…_

"I'm sorry…" he muttered softly and went on to free her.

She gasped in pain when he lifted the tape around her wrists and her legs. The red marks on her skin were glaring at him, and his heart broke at the sight. _I wish I was there with her when she was taken, to protect her…_

He traced his thumb across her red skin, "Does it hurt?"

"No…"

"You're lying."

"Kurosaki-kun…"

The sadness in her voice was too unbearable for him, and he knew if he glanced up at that point, he would see her looking at him with pity in her eyes. He felt like a loser.

"Ichigo-sama, let's leave now," Tousen's words brought his attention back to the situation at hand.

"Have you seen my friends?"

"Mizuiro and Keigo are safe, Ichigo-sama. We told them to wait outside because they were injured."

"What about Rukia?"

"They were looking for her. Her opponents were defeated but she was nowhere to be seen." Tousen must have sensed Ichigo's concern because he added, "Don't worry. I'm sure she's fine. She must have joined Mizuiro and Keigo now."

_What have I done? Chad, Mizuiro, and Keigo were injured. Rukia is missing. It's my fault! All because I'm too weak!_

Orihime watched him from behind. She had never seen him like that. He looked hurt and defeated, and her heart ached seeing him. She wished she could do something to comfort him. _Anything…_

_Kurosaki-kun…_

* * * * *

Renji closed his eyes, trying to sleep but he failed. It was near midnight and he was so tired but the jumbled thoughts in his mind made it difficult to sleep. And having to sleep on the sofa was not helping either.

He'd brought Rukia to the house and right now, she was sleeping on his bed. She had been sleeping since the moment he brought her in, and when he checked on her, he could see her wounds were slowly closing and healing.

On his way to the living room earlier, he'd stopped by Orihime's room, wanting to sleep in her room but decided against it and went down to crash on the sofa instead.

Tatsuki had locked herself in her room again. Mama returned home with Hisagi _senpai_ after a long day of searching for her beloved daughter. She went straight to bed, she didn't even bother to eat or take a shower. Hisagi left after reminding him to take care of his family. As if that was an easy task to do.

He had returned to the abandoned house that evening, after he made sure Rukia was resting, but the house was empty. Even the bodies were gone, as if someone had cleared the scene.

_Was Orihime really there?_ He asked himself. _And if she was, would that mean she was already saved by that punk Kurosaki? He'd never forgive that man if he let anything bad happen to his sister!_

_And I'm such a bad brother…_

He felt guilty about leaving the place without making sure whether she was kept inside or not. But Rukia… Rukia was dying then… _Besides, you're not a hundred percent sure she was inside_, he reasoned.

And Ulquiorra… He hadn't said a word to that man. He knew that Ulquiorra was away on an important business meeting but it was not his sole reason for not informing him about Orihime's disappearance.

His other reason was Ichigo.

Amidst their panic when they found out Orihime was missing, informing Ulquiorra had slipped his mind, true. But when he realized that, Ichigo had already found out about Orihime's disappearance and said that he would save her. He might have said a different thing to Orihime, but that was a lie because he didn't want Ulquiorra and Ichigo to meet either. He knew to some degree, Ichigo was attracted to Orihime, and should Ulqiorra know that, he's not going to like it.

He was not doing it for Ulquiorra or Ichigo. It was for his sister.

_But… am I doing the right thing?_

* * * * *

The auburn-haired woman pulled up the blanket to cover her body. She inhaled the lavender aroma filling the room. She closed her eyes and recalled the look on Ichigo's face before they left the abandoned house. She hadn't seen him since he brought her to his house, and it worried her.

There was a soft knock on the door. A small woman came in with a tray in her hands.

"I brought you tea and cookies," she said.

Orihime sat up straight as the woman placed the tray on the bedside.

"How are you feeling?"

"Much better now, it's all thanks to your kindness."

"Don't say that, you're a guest in this house. By the way, is the bed comfortable enough?"

"Of course it is, Hinamori-san! It's more comfortable than my own bed!"

Hinamori Momo laughed at her comment. "Let me know if you need anything," she said and started walking toward the door, ready to leave.

"Hinamori-san!"

"Yes?"

Orihime hesitated a moment. Gathering her courage, she asked, "Is Kurosaki-kun alright?"

Hinamori turned and went on to sit on the bed, a smile gracing her features. "You're worried about Ichigo, huh?"

Orihime nodded her head slowly.

"Ichigo is fine. He's just feeling guilty because his friends were injured."

Orihime looked down to her hands folded in her lap. "They were injured because of me…"

Hinamori sighed. "Don't blame yourself. He would have done the same thing no matter what."

"But…"

"Orihime-chan, Ichigo cares a lot about you. After living with him for years, I can read him clearly. He never cared for anyone as much as he did for you. Well, he cared for his friends but that's different, since he's known them for a very long time."

"I care for him too. He's my friend…"

"I don't know how to say this, but Ichigo had been through a lot, that's why he always kept his feelings to himself. It took me years to convince him that he can share his feelings and burdens with me. Except for his friends, he always appeared cold around people. But he's reacting differently to you."

"W-what do you mean?"

"I think he likes you."

Orihime was too stunned to say anything.

"I hope you wouldn't hurt him."

"But…"

"He may appear tough on the outside, but inside… he's just like a lost child."

"I know… He's a very kind person, too."

Hinamori stared deeply into her eyes. "Promise me you wouldn't hurt him."

"I-I can't promise anything like that."

Throwing her hands up in the air, Hinamori let out a frustrated laugh, startling Orihime.

"You're right. It's so unreasonable of me to ask for that. It's just that, when I saw you, I thought Ichigo might have a chance to be happy." Eyes downcast, she added, "And I don't want him to end up like me…"

Orihime fell silent as she noticed tears started rolling down Hinamori's soft cheeks. "Hinamori-san…"

Hinamori wiped away her tears. "I don't know what got into me. Maybe it's because I rarely get to see a human in this house…"

"It's about Kurosaki-kun's uncle, isn't it?"

Teary eyes looked up at her. "How do you know?"

"I saw the way you looked at him. There's so much love in your eyes, Hinamori-san."

"But he never noticed it," Hinamori said, letting out another frustrated laugh.

"Maybe one day he will…"

"I've been by his side for years, Orihime-chan. But Aizen-sama never looked at me the way I wish he would. I took care of the house, took care of him because I love him. In the end, I became more like a maid to him."

"Hinamori-san…"

"When I found out he wasn't one of us, I knew our relationship is not going to work out. We humans should never fall in love with the werewolves, because we'll be the only ones getting hurt in the end."

Ulquiorra's face appeared; their sealed promise repeated itself in Orihime's head. "Are you saying it's absolutely bad for humans to be in a relationship with werewolves?"

"Think about it, Orihime-chan. As humans, we were born, we age, and then we die. They, however, can live for eternity. Do you think they can still look at us with love in their eyes when we're in our deathbeds, all wrinkly and smelly? No, Orihime-chan. Not when they still look the same since we first met them!"

"Wouldn't love surpass all those things? Doesn't loving someone means you're accepting the other person for better or worse?"

Another heavy sigh was heard. "You're still young, Orihime-chan. You still have a lot to learn about love. Love might be a single word, but it holds millions of different meanings to different people."

Then, startling Orihime again, Hinamori stood up abruptly. "Why am I disturbing you with all this? I should let you rest. Goodnight, Orihime-chan," she said, and walked out hurriedly, not giving Orihime a chance to reply.

Orihime was left dumbfounded. Hinamori's words replayed in her mind. It's true, she knew nearly nothing about love, and she was so confused about a lot of things.

_Does Ichigo really like her more than a friend? If he does, what do I do about it? Do I like him too? _

_No! What about Ulquiorra-kun? Will he love me one day and will I love him back? Or will our relationship be doomed like Hinamori-san said?_

Groaning, Orihime tugged at her hair in frustration before burying her face under the blanket.

_I'll just think about all this again when I have the energy…_

* * * * *

Almost three hours past midnight, Tatsuki woke up from a nightmare. She blinked repeatedly in the dark, trying to calm herself. Too much had happened over the course of a few days and she kept having bad dreams since the day Orihime walked out of the house.

She looked down and noticed that only her legs were covered under her blanket. There was a large lump next to her feet, and that lump was responsible for dominating her blanket.

"I never knew dogs use blanket," she said to the dark, laughing.

She pulled hard at the blanket.

To her shock, it revealed a very naked Ishida Uryuu.

She screamed.

* * * * *

"So you're saying you've lost her?" Byakuya asked the orange-haired man in front of him, his voice cold.

"I'm sorry, Byakuya. But we've alerted everyone in the clan."

"Are you sure she's safe?"

"Yes, we found Edrad and Di Roy's bodies, so she must have won."

"I see," Byakuya said calmly. "Let me know if there's any news. I'll be waiting here until you find her."

"I'll do that."

"One more thing."

"What is it?"

"Call me Kuchiki-sama next time."

* * * * *

"What are you doing in my bed? And you're n-n-naked!" she screamed, turning on the light.

"Tatsuki, lower your voice, or everyone's going to think something bad happened here."

Tatsuki inhaled deeply, trying to calm herself.

"What is going on here?" she asked, trying her best not to stare at his bare chest.

"You're the one who brought me home…"

"I did not! I brought a dog home! A dog! And you were nowhere to be found, so… so…"

Her eyes scanned frantically around the room. _Where's the dog?_

Ishida waited patiently for the realization to dawn in on her.

Hands covering her mouth, eyes widening in utter disbelief. "Oh, my God…" she whispered through her fingers. "It was… _you_?"

Ishida nodded slowly.

"What? What are you? Are you not human?"

"I am human… But not a normal human."

_This is all a dream… A very bad dream_, Tatsuki told herself. "Then what exactly are you?" she asked weakly, suddenly feeling very tired.

"I am what you can call a… shapeshifter. A _nagual_."

"A shapeshifter?" Tatsuki asked, her voice oddly high-pitched.

"Yes. I can change into any animal I want to, just by looking into its eyes. The man we ran into before, Shawlong, was a werewolf. I changed into the same form as he was and fought him. I won, but I didn't want to scare you. So I turned into a Dalmation."

"Was there a freaking Dalmation running around in the forest?"

"No, no… It was an animal I've changed into in the past. I just need to recall what the transformation was like. It's hard, and that method rarely worked but at that time, I had to do it, for you."

Tatsuki let out a hysterical laugh. _This is all too much._ "I must be losing my mind. This is just a nightmare."

"Tatsuki, calm down. I know it's shocking, but I'm telling you the truth."

"I want to wake up. I want to wake up," Tatsuki chanted, shaking her head and covering her ears, refusing to hear anything Ishida said.

"Tatsuki…"

Ishida leaned forward and placed his hands on both sides of her head, stilling her. "Take a deep breath, please. I didn't want to become who I am now either."

"Get out."

"What?"

"Please leave me alone. I need some time to… to…"

"Tatuki..."

"Everything you're telling me, shapeshifters, werewolves, it's all too much for me to take in all at once, you know?"

"I understand. I'll leave. I promise I won't show up until you're ready to talk about it. So, when all this finally makes sense to you, give me a call, okay?"

She mumbled her agreement.

"And… Tatsuki? Can I borrow your clothes?"

* * * * *

Ichigo groaned loudly. He hated the feeling of uselessness.

It was cold outside, but he couldn't stand being inside the house. It's not like he could go to sleep, anyway.

He was waiting for news about Rukia. He was confident that she's still alive, because she's a fighter. He'd learned that after all those years.

_But knowing that didn't make him feel better._

Mizuiro and Keigo were injured badly. Chad was injured too, and was currently resting; his transformation was nothing like the werewolves' and it drained his energy. It would take days for him to recover.

_If he hadn't dragged them along to help him, nothing like that would have happened._

He looked up at the guest room where Orihime was staying. The light was still on. He wanted to see her, but he was too ashamed because she saw his weakness.

_She knows now that I'm weak…_

_Inoue…_

* * * * *

"Explain your actions, Grimmjow."

They were all standing in Aizen's study. Gin and Tousen were holding his arms, and Aizen was interrogating him. He was being treated like a criminal and he despised it.

"I don't need to explain anything."

"You've acted without Aizen-sama's order," Tousen stated firmly, reacting to Grimmjow's stubborn reply.

"I was doing him a favor!"

"Don't act so disrespectful!"

"To hell with you and your fucking respect! All I know is that I did a right thing! You and your precious Aizen-sama better thank me for that!"

Nobody had predicted Tousen's reaction to that. It happened in a blink of an eye. Tousen grabbed a sword that was hung on the wall, unsheathed it and sliced off Grimmjow's right arm in one swift movement.

Grimmjow fell to the floor, screaming in pain, his blood smearing the carpet.

"My, my! I never knew you have such bad temper, Tousen," Gin chuckled.

"I'm sorry for doing that, Aizen-sama. I know it's inappropriate, especially since Kuchiki-san and his men are still here. But I can't just stand and hear him say all those disrespectful words to you," Tousen explained.

"It's okay, Kaname."

"Thank you, Aizen-sama."

Aizen stepped forward. He was now standing right in front of the screaming man.

"Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez," Aizen said coldly, his brown eyes staring down, his face devoid of emotion. "You are banished from this clan."

* * *

**Author's Note :** Wow, I can't believe it's Chapter 13! When I first started this story, I never thought it would be this long. And the number of reviews I received for this story is making me happy! You are awesome, my lovely Readers and Reviewers! People are telling me they love the story, and that this story makes them happy, and as a writer, nothing else could have made me happier than hearing those feedbacks from you guys. Some of you even gave suggestions. Thank you so much! I'll see what I can do about them.

I want to thank those who reviewed the last chapter: **Blitch**, **zodious**, **cookies18**, **Lyhime**, **glon morski**, **AvioNN **(thanks for the info you gave me!), **cheerleader40404**, **mmk15**, **MrsMoshae** (I'm waiting for your update!), **mariquyta**, **Alatarial Elf**, **TheSwanPrincess**, and **Vampire-Hime101** (who reviewed a lot of chapters, thanks!), & **Orihimemay11** (who reviewed Chapter 1). Thanks for keeping me inspired, guys!

Chad and Ishida's identities were revealed in this chapter. But it brought questions rather than answers, haha! Orihime's having dilemmas, Ichigo confronts his feelings, and Grimmjow is banished from the clan! I know some of you expected Ichigo to be able to regain his wolf form and fight in this chapter, but I think it would be too predictable and unrealistic for Ichigo to gain that power as soon as Orihime is in danger. He needs to overcome his childhood trauma first before he regains that power.

Okay, time for some explanations:

_**Berserker**_ – Norse warriors who fought in a nearly uncontrollable, trance-like fury. Some believed that the berserkers took the form of wolf or bear in battles, though some also believed that it just took the bestial qualities of those animals, not actually turn into them. For my story however, I opted for the latter.

_**Nagual**_ – also known as _nahual_, means a human being who has the power to magically turn himself/herself into an animal form. In other words, a shapeshifter. I based Ishida's character on **Sam Merlotte** (who's also a shapeshifter) in **True Blood**.

I hope you guys will enjoy this chapter! _**And… review, please?**_


	14. ACT XIV : To Leave It All Behind

**Author's Note :** Hello, lovely Readers! Sorry for the slight delay. I did some stupid mistakes a few days ago. I accidentally replaced my edited chapter with an unfinished one. I ended up having to re-write three pages! Anyway, I hope you guys will enjoy IchiHime scenes in this chapter. There will be more IchiHime in the next two chapters because I will be focusing more on the romance aspect of this story, IchiHime romance. Something in this chapter may raise questions but it will be explained in the next chapter, so be patient! As for now, enjoy, read & have a good day! =)

To everyone who reviewed, faved and alerted, thank you so, so much for loving this story. I wouldn't have the power and drive to continue writing this story if it weren't for the endless support from you guys! Thank you!

And, this chapter is dedicated to **MrsMoshae**! Thanks for being a wonderful online friend, for reading and responding to my rambling and whining! For those of you who haven't read her story, you better! It's titled **"Return To Me"** and it's such a funny and lovely story. I love it so much that I kept blackmailing her for an update! Sorry, my friend. =)

**Disclaimer :** **Kubo Tite** owns **Bleach**. The lyrics used in this chapter is from **Lifehouse's Crash and Burn**.

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_**Silence just keep screaming back at me**_

_**The ones I love I lost in memories**_

_**I wish that I could take back what was done**_

_**You can only change the person you've become**_

_**I've been broken I've been low**_

_**I've been hurt but I'll move on**_

_**I have to try and find a way**_

_**To leave it all behind**_

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The kitchen was exceptionally huge. An enormous dual-door refrigerator stood proud next to a sleek four-burner cooking range. Electrical appliances; rice cooker, blender, mixer, a microwave oven, toaster and coffee-maker were arranged neatly on the gray marble top counter. Stacks of plates, bowls, cups, glasses, various kitchen utensils, pots, frying pans, and woks were kept inside a large cupboard. Several jars labeled sugar, salt, tea, and coffee were displayed on the shelves. A black granite worktop was placed exactly in the center of the room, a vase of white lilies decorating it.

To Inoue Orihime, it was exactly the dream kitchen she wished she would have.

"It's bigger than our living room!" Orihime exclaimed, wide-eyed with wonder as soon as she stepped into the kitchen.

Hinamori, who was making toasts and fried eggs for breakfast, smiled at the younger woman. "Good morning, Orihime-chan."

Orihime's mouth stretched widely to form a bright smile, "Good morning, Hinamori-san!"

"Feeling better today?"

"Yes!" Orihime answered cheerily as she bounced over to Hinamori's side.

"Hmm... something smells nice," she commented, inhaling deeply the delicious aroma of fried eggs, her eyes closed.

Hinamori laughed.

"Is there anything I can help you with, Hinamori-san?"

"You don't have to do anything! You're a guest in this house, after all."

"But I want to help! I can't just stand here and do nothing when it's obvious you need help!" Orihime protested.

Hinamori sighed, giving in to the pouting beauty. "Okay, you can help me set up the table. After you're done, maybe you can tell Ichigo that breakfast is ready. He's outside, probably still brooding about yesterday's incident."

"I got it, Hinamori-san!"

Ichigo groaned and kicked hard at the ground. He hadn't sleep all night, waiting for Rukia to show up. But dawn had arrived, and there was still no sight of her. Chad was recuperating, asleep in his room. Keigo and Mizuiro had offered to keep him company, but he shooed them away.

Rubbing his eyes, he yawned before stretching his arms and then his entire body. He was in the middle of his light exercise when a cheery voice called for him.

"Good morning, Kurosaki-kun!"

He turned around and saw Inoue Orihime beaming at him, her smile as bright as the first ray of the morning sun.

"Good morning, Inoue. You seem rather... cheerful this morning."

"You think so? Great, because I do feel cheerful!"

He said nothing in response. He'd suspected that the smile was just a front she put up for him so he wouldn't worry about her, but she seemed to be genuinely happy. _How can that be? She was kidnapped, being held captive for a few days and only God knows what Grimmjow had done to her._

He watched as the auburn-haired woman stretched her arms beside him, a carefree smile still plastered on her face, the early morning breeze blowing softly against her luscious locks. _Such a pleasant sight_. A sight he wouldn't mind seeing every morning.

Then, he felt his heart sank when he noticed the bruise on her lips.

"Are you really okay?" he asked, his voice barely louder than a whisper.

"Hm? Of course I'm okay."

"You're not hurt anywhere?"

"No~"

Her sentence stopped midair when he suddenly grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her body around to face him. Her eyes widened at the hurt look in his amber gaze.

"Kurosaki-kun?"

He brought his thumb to her lips. She shuddered when he began caressing her bruised lips lightly. "I'm talking about this," he said to her, still speaking in the same low tone. "Does it hurt?"

"No..." she answered, her voice trembling. It felt weird having his rough, calloused thumb touching her lips and the warmth of his palm on her cheek, but at the same time, it felt... _wonderful_. No man had ever touched her that way, not even her fiancé, and she could feel her heart beating faster with excitement at the new experience.

Unknown to her, Ichigo's heart was also racing at the same pace as he kept his lingering touch on her lips, liking the softness of her plump lips under his thumb. _Beautiful_, he thought with wonder, his intense gaze fixated on the wide-eyed woman before him. _Even with her bruised lips she's so beautiful_, he mused, fighting a strong urge to kiss her pain away.

"Don't give me that look," she blurted suddenly, startling him. His thumb stopped moving abruptly.

"What?"

"That guilty, hurt look you're giving me now. I don't like it."

Slowly, reluctantly, he lifted his thumb from her lips. She sighed at the loss of physical contact, scaring herself with the realization that she'd enjoyed his touch a bit too much.

"I don't know what you mean," Ichigo denied, lowering his gaze to the ground.

"Don't lie. I'm not blind."

"Inoue..."

"You're looking at me with guilt in your eyes, as if you're the reason I was kidnapped."

"Inoue..."

"The kidnapping had nothing to do with you, Kurosaki-kun. They wanted... _something else_ from me. So, stop beating yourself up about it."

"But..."

"I might not look it, but I'm a tough cookie. I never fell sick when I was a child," she told him proudly. "And I learned a few _karate_ moves from Tatsuki-chan!" she said and started showing him her _karate_ stance.

A smile formed slowly on his lips at the funny sight in front of him. She directed her puzzled gaze at him, causing him to laugh.

"What? What's so funny? Is it something I said? Is it something I did?" she panicked.

"You're funny," he answered her, laughing and clutching his stomach. "If you ever encounter a bad man in the future, never show him your karate pose."

"Why? What's wrong with it?"

"Your pose looks too cute to be taken seriously."

Lowering her hands, she pretended to be hurt. Ichigo forced himself to stop laughing when he noticed her pouted lips.

"Now you look too sexy not to kiss," he whispered in her ear, causing her face to turn beet red immediately.

Ichigo started to laugh again. "You're so easy to tease."

She hit his arm lightly. "Stop it."

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry."

They both fell silent as they watched the sky lit up, the bright morning sun slowly rising on the horizon.

"Inoue, can I ask you something?"

"Hm?"

"Shouldn't you be scared of me?"

"Why should I?"

"You saw Grimmjow turned into a wolf, right?"

She nodded slowly. "Mm-hm..."

"I was born as the same creature; half-man, half-beast. Isn't that a good enough reason to fear me?"

"No."

Ichigo raised a questioning eyebrow at her firm answer.

"I'm not afraid of you."

"Why not?"

"Because what you turn into does not change who you are."

She paused, allowing his mind to take in her words.

"What matters is the heart. It doesn't matter to me what kind of animal you turn into, Kurosaki-kun, because it's still you. Your heart remained the same even if your form change."

Ichigo was speechless, drowned in her sweet, soothing voice.

"A kind heart is what makes a good man, Kurosaki-kun. And I know you have a kind heart," Orihime said, smiling up at him.

"Inoue..."

"Thank you for saving me, Kurosaki-kun."

He wanted to tell her that he'd done absolutely nothing to deserve her thanks, but the way she said it, and the way she's looking up at him adoringly, he couldn't help but smile proudly. Hearing her praises made him feel like he was the best man on earth.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Can I use your telephone, Kurosaki-kun? I need to call my family."

"I already called them last night, and I told them that you're safe and sound," he explained. "I promised them I'll bring you home after we had breakfast at my house."

"Kurosaki-kun!" she exclaimed suddenly.

"What?" he asked at the wide-eyed woman, startled.

"I forgot! I came here to tell you that breakfast is ready!" Then she started to smack her head repeatedly with her palm, "What's wrong with my brain?"

Ichigo caught her hand, stopping her. "Stop hitting your head or you'll end up stupid."

"Really?"

He was about to tease her more when he heard a familiar female voice called. "Ichigo!"

His face broke into a relieved smile, "Rukia!"

"K-K-Kuchiki-san!?"

"Inoue!?!"

Ichigo stared at the two women. _What the hell is going on here?_

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_**Could you remind me to forget?**_

_**The things I did the things I said**_

_**I hope that you can bring me back**_

_**I gotta to make it right**_

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Breakfasting with Ichigo's family was almost like breakfasting with any normal family.

_Almost._

One of his friend, whom Ichigo later introduced as Asano Keigo, came dashing toward her as soon as he entered the dining room. "A big-boobed goddess!" he shouted, his arms extended wide, ready to hug her, but Ichigo yanked his collar before he could.

"Pervert! Stay away from her," Ichigo warned him, causing him to start crying. Orihime watched worriedly at the scene unfolding before her but Ichigo told her it was just an act.

Amid her confusion, Kojima Mizuiro snapped a picture of her with his iPhone.

"Don't even think of uploading her picture on your website," Ichigo growled, to which his friend agreed, albeit reluctantly.

A dark, blind man whom Ichigo called Tousen Kaname, one of his uncle's most trusted men, took her hand and patted it after she greeted him politely, claiming, "It's rare to see young women with such great manners these days."

She was about to blurt out, "You can see?" but managed to hold herself back just in time.

Another man, Ichimaru Gin grinned at her when he laid his eyes on her. "It's wonderful to have such a beautiful woman gracing us with her presence." Scrutinizing her, he commented, "You reminded me of a woman I once loved, Orihime-chan."

She laughed politely at his remark, though deep inside her heart, she felt uneasy. Maybe it was because of the sly grins he gave her, or him addressing her as if they'd known each other for a very long time.

The last person to enter the dining room was Ichigo's uncle, Aizen Sousuke. He was a tall, handsome man, and he carried a charismatic air around him. He smiled at her and greeted her before he took his place at the head of the table, opposite Ichigo who was sitting at the other end.

She remembered him. When she, Ichigo and his friends, along with his uncle's right-hand men, arrived at the house, Aizen was sitting at the living room with Hinamori, sipping his tea calmly as he chatted with her. That was when she saw Hinamori looked up at him with a loving look in her eyes, listening intently to her lover's voice.

Ichigo had pulled a chair out for her and she was now sitting on his right side of the table, across from Rukia who was sitting on his left. She smiled nervously at the raven-haired woman, and when Rukia gave her a reassuring smile, she felt much better.

"Let's begin our meal," Aizen spoke as the head of the family. "Please make yourself at home, Orihime."

She nodded at him and everyone began eating.

"Seeing you in person, Inoue-san, I can see why Ichigo was so obsessed about saving you," Keigo mumbled through his toast-filled mouth. "You're like the star of every guy's wet dreams."

Ichigo choked on his breakfast, Rukia spit out her tea, Mizuiro pretended to hear nothing as he kept his eyes fixated on his cellphone's screen. A few seats away from Orihime, Hinamori turned white, Gin was grinning, and Tousen's eyebrow was twitching oddly. Orihime's face turned red, like a ripe tomato. The only one who managed to retain his composure was Aizen.

Noticing the sudden silence around him, Keigo looked up from his plate to see everyone glaring at him. "What?" he snapped.

Clearing his throat, Ichigo whispered to Orihime, "Don't mind him. He's the most perverted guy to ever exist on earth."

"How many times have I told you? It's just a healthy interest!" Keigo defended, but nobody paid attention.

"So, Orihime-chan, you're studying in the same class as Rukia-chan, huh?"

"Yes, Ichimaru-san."

"What a small world we live in!" Gin exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air.

"I bet she's the oldest chick on campus," Keigo piped in. He wailed in pain when Rukia, who was sitting next to him, punched his stomach.

Ichigo laughed, "No, she's the oldest person on campus!"

Everyone laughed at his remark, except Orihime who threw Rukia a concerned look. But when the petite woman who attempted to pull an angry face at first, had started to laugh along, Orihime smiled. Age was nothing but numbers for people who'd lived for hundreds of years, she realized.

"Orihime-chan, why don't you tell us what do you like about Ichigo-kun?" Hinamori blurted out a shocking question suddenly.

This time it was Ichigo who spit out his tea. Everyone else struggled to maintain a disinterested look on their faces, while Orihime's went bright red again. If she were to spend more time with Ichigo and his family, her face would surely burn up.

"We shouldn't put the lovebirds on spot with questions like that," Aizen said calmly. "We don't want Orihime to feel comfortable. She is, after all, a special guest in our house."

Everyone else mumbled their agreements.

Orihime sighed, relief washed all over her.

Ichigo smiled gratefully at his uncle. He stole a glance at Orihime but looked away quickly when he saw the red-faced woman was also looking at him.

_This will surely be one breakfast I'd never forget._

Ichigo watched as the auburn-haired woman disappeared into the kitchen with a large tray of dirty dishes in her hands. She had insisted to help Hinamori wash the dishes, completely ignoring everyone's protests. Despite her timid exterior, she proved to be a very stubborn woman, and they ended up letting her do what she wanted to do.

His uncle, Tousen, and Gin left the house for work while Mizuiro and Keigo went to open the music store they co-owned with Chad, therefore leaving him and Rukia in the dining room.

"Idiot! Stop gawking at her!" Rukia's angry voice was heard.

"I'm not!"

"Don't deny it! You were practically drooling!"

"Shut up! She's going to think I'm as perverted as Keigo!"

Rukia shrugged her shoulders and walked over to sit next to him.

"Mind telling me why you're looking so down?"

"What do you mean? I'm fine! I laughed with you guys earlier, didn't I?"

"You should know better than to lie to your best friend, Ichigo."

Ichigo groaned frustratedly. She was right about that. Being his best friend for hundreds of years, she could read him like an open book. There was absolutely no use to try and hide things from her.

Giving up, Ichigo spoke in a low voice, "It's nothing. I just wish I was stronger, so I won't have to rely on you guys to fight the fights that are supposed to be mine. I don't want all of you to get hurt because of me."

"What a rare sight this is! Were you worried about me, Kurosaki Ichigo?"

"Of course! You're my best friend! Chad, Keigo and Mizuiro too! You guys were hurt because I dragged all of you into the fights with Grimmjow and his gang!"

Rukia's small but strong fist landed on his head.

"Ow! What was that for, midget?"

"Idiot!" she hissed. "I'm not made of porcelain, you know."

"Rukia~"

"You are a precious friend to all of us, Ichigo. We wouldn't mind getting hurt for you. There's nothing wrong about relying on your friends, and I think you know that we're strong enough for you to held on to."

Rukia smirked at her orange-haired friend.

"Stop looking at me with wonder in your eyes. You know damn well that I'm a very wise person."

"I was going to say you looked _ancient_ when you said wise things," Ichigo snorted, earning another hard smack on his head.

Ichigo was about to return the favor when they heard Orihime's cheerful laugh coming from the kitchen.

"There's one more reason you want to get stronger, right?"

"Yeah..." Ichigo answered slowly, his eyes staring at the direction of the cheery laughter. Suddenly, he felt Rukia's small fist grabbed the back of his collar, pulling him up. "What the hell?"

"Come with me, Ichigo!"

Orihime stared wide-eyed at the two of them. Ichigo was panting, his hands gripping his knees, obviously being dragged to the kitchen by Rukia who kept her firm grasp on his collar.

"Kurosaki-kun? Kuchiki-san? What's going on?"

Ichigo felt Rukia's hand moved to his head, pushing it down, making it seemed as if he was bowing at Orihime.

"Sorry for being such an idiot!" Rukia yelled and waited for Ichigo to repeat her words.

But he said nothing.

Rukia opened her mouth to say it again, but Ichigo's whisper stopped her.

"Inoue..."

He lifted his head so he could look directly at Orihime. Rukia released her grip slowly.

"I will get stronger!"

Rukia's mouth stretched to form a smirk. Orihime's eyes grew wider.

"I will get stronger, and next time, I will definitely protect you!"

"Kurosaki-kun..."

She was surprised by his sudden vow, but at the same time, she was glad to see the darkness clouding his eyes before had disappeared. His amber eyes were now glowing with sheer determination, making her feel as if she could hang on to his every words.

Rukia watched them silently before she tiptoed out of the kitchen, looking back in time to see Orihime mouthed a "Thank you" at her.

"I'm nervous," Ichigo confessed as soon as they reached her house, suddenly feeling reluctant to leave the comfort of his car.

"Don't be ridiculous, Kurosaki-kun."

"I'm certainly not on your brother's favorite list, and I have never met the rest of your family, so of course I'm nervous."

She grabbed his arms, and he marveled at the softness of her palm. "You saved me, Kurosaki-kun. Even if they don't like you, they would treat you nicely."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"Stop being such a baby. Now let's get out of the car," she directed, pushing him toward the car's door.

"Okay, Madam Inoue!"

She got out of the car and began walking toward the house. Ichigo jogged lightly to her side after he locked the car. She flashed him a comforting smile.

As they walked side by side, Ichigo grabbed her hand and pulled her closer to him so he could whisper in her ear, "Thank you..."

"Eh? What did I do?"

"Nothing... But being with you have always made me feel better."

_Me too_, she wanted to say, but decided against it. "You're welcome..." she said, and pulled her hand free.

It turned out that Orihime was right about her family. They welcomed him warmly. Even Renji acted civil around him.

The busty woman Orihime called "Mama Rangiku" came rushing toward the door and enveloped Orihime in a dead hug as soon as she opened the door. A tomboy girl, Tatsuki, followed closely behind Rangiku and hugged Orihime too. They started crying and Orihime was screaming in pain at the same time because her body was crushed by the two women.

Ichigo had to stand and watch until the whole drama ended.

When they entered the living room, he shook Renji's hand. Orihime and Tatsuki went to the kitchen to prepare tea and some cookies.

Ichigo sat awkwardly on the sofa, but Renji soon engaged him in a polite conversation after he and his mother thanked him for saving Orihime. Ichigo began to relax, and by the time Orihime returned to the living room with a plate full of cookies, he was already feeling comfortable.

They chatted on unimportant stuffs as the weather, being extra careful not to bring up the subject of Orihime's kidnapping. Ichigo had explained on the phone that she was attacked by a group of thieves and they should not mention it to her because it might upset her. Although Renji knew what actually happened, he kept his mouth shut.

As the conversation went on, Ichigo finally mustered up his courage to say what he wanted to say. "The reason I came here is to ask for a permission."

Everyone gaped at him, shocked.

"I wish you'd let me spend two more days with Inoue."

"Kurosaki-kun?"

"I'd like to bring her to meet two important people in my life."

Renji stood up, "Hey, punk! Are you stupid or something? Why should she meet them?"

Ichigo kept his eyes locked with Rangiku's, "Please, Rangiku-san..."

"There's no way in hell I'll let my sister~"

"Renji," Rangiku said without looking at her son, her tone firm. Orihime began to squirm uncomfortably in her seat. She was as shocked as the rest of her family. Ichigo hadn't said anything to her about his plan.

"Since my family owe you, I'll have to say yes."

"Mama!" Renji protested.

"And I think we can count on Kurosaki to keep her safe," Rangiku continued, ignoring Renji who groaned frustratedly. He knew her mother wouldn't budge once she made up her mind.

"I will do everything in my power to protect her, Rangiku-san."

"Good." Glancing around at her son and daughters, Rangiku asked, "Does anyone have anything else to say?"

Renji merely shrugged his shoulders.

"Yo, Ichigo! If you let anything bad happen to Orihime, I'll kick your sorry ass!" Tatsuki warned.

Ichigo smirked at the feisty woman. He'll get to spend more time with his auburn-haired beauty. Nothing else in the world could make him happier.

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_**If I fall and crash and burn**_

_**At least I know you're by my side**_

_**As I crawl that lessons learned**_

_**It reminds me I'll survive**_

_**I've been hurt and I've been scarred**_

_**At least I know that I'm alive**_

_**And if I fall and crash and burn**_

_**At least we both know that I tried**_


	15. ACT XV : Detrás de la Luna

**Author's Note :** Here's a long Chapter 15! I should have been able to update sooner, but as usual, RL got in the way. And I'm afraid I will take longer to update the next chapter because I need to work on my FLOL Tanabata entry. Unless you guys surprised me with an overwhelming number of reviews *wink* that might make me so happy that I'll start working non-stop on this story as well.

Personally, I love this chapter, especially the middle part and the end, so I hope you guys would enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Most of you asked me about something, or rather, _someone_, and that person made his appearance at the end of the chapter! XD

Anyway, thanks to those who reviewed: **Dark Vaizard447**, **glon morski** (you're another chapter closer to wolf-Ichigo appearance!), **Ever Angel 27**, **MrsMoshae**, **cheerleader40404**, **shnickers**, **hime4life**, **elle003**, **FuyuKiba**, **C U P C A K E – M O N S T E R**, and **zodious**!

And I would like to dedicate this chapter to **MrsMoshae**, again, 'cause you're awesome too, my dear! =)

**Warning :** Cursing, lemon (for those who asked for this, I hoped you're happy! But I was blushing madly when I wrote it, and I'm not sure whether that scene turn out good or bad) & grammatical errors.

**Disclaimer :** I don't own Bleach.

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Orihime shoved her neatly stacked clothes into the large bag on her bed, the same questions replaying in her mind over and over again.

_Why am I doing this?_

_Why did Mama Rangiku agree to Kurosaki-kun's request?_

"It'll take you forever to pack if you keep spacing out like that, Orihime."

Tatsuki's dry remark jolted Orihime out of her thoughts. She glanced at her spiky-haired best friend, sitting on the bed.

"I'm sorry, Tatsuki-chan."

"Eh? Why are you apologizing?"

She walked over to Tatsuki and plopped next to her.

"I missed you, Tatsuki-chan, and I want to spend more time with you now that I'm back home. But Mama said I should go with Kurosaki-kun."

"Don't worry about that. You go with him and have fun. When you return home, we'll hang out together and eat ice cream!" Then, with a mischievious smile playing on her lips, Tatsuki added, "Besides, I already have some plans on my own."

"Eh? What sort of plans?" Orihime prodded, but her best friend remained tight-lipped. Recognizing the naughty glint in Tatsuki's eyes, Orihime squealed, "Oh, my God! It's Ishida-kun, isn't it?"

Her best friend nodded.

"I'm so happy for you, Tatsuki-chan!" Orihime shouted excitedly, hugging Tatsuki.

"Thanks, but we're in the middle of a fight right now…"

"How sweet! You're having your first lovers' quarrel!"

"Yeah, I'm going to apologize to him, and present him with a little surprise gift!"

The two women were still giggling and squealing when Rangiku emerged through the door.

"Are you done packing?" she asked, staring at the gaping bag on Orihime's bed.

"Mama! No, I'm not done yet. I still have a few things to pack."

"Do it quickly. Kurosaki said it's time for you to get moving."

"O-okay."

"One more thing, Orihime."

"What is it, Mama?"

"I agreed to you going with him only because he saved you. I don't want you to see him again after this."

"Why? What's so wrong with seeing a friend?"

"Are you sure he thinks of you just as a friend?"

Tatsuki began to feel uncomfortable.

"B-but Mama~"

"No buts, Orihime. You'll do exactly what I told you to do."

"Mama…" Orihime tried to protest. Rangiku paid no attention to her and walked out of the room.

They arrived in Tokyo some time in the afternoon.

"Where are we?" Orihime asked when Ichigo stopped the car outside an art gallery.

"Just come inside. You'll love it."

It turned out he was right. She was absolutely in love with the paintings displayed inside the gallery.

"Who owned this place?"

"Me," he smirked proudly.

"Really? That's awesome, Kurosaki-kun!"

He scratched the back of his neck shyly as he watched Orihime ran around the room, pausing and squealing excitedly at paintings that attracted her attention.

Then, she paused in front of a painting and stared with wonder at the beautiful sight. Ichigo walked over to her.

"It's yours…" she stated the obvious.

"Yeah, I believe so. Unless, you know a Kurosaki Ichigo other than me."

She gave his arm a light smack. "It's beautiful…"

"Thank you." _But it's not as beautiful as you_, he wanted to add.

It was a picture of a man, standing beside a river, staring at the bright moon glowing above him, and reflected in the clear water, his image was that of a howling wolf.

"_Détras de la Luna…_" she whispered, tracing her finger on the canvas. "What does it mean?"

"It's about _us_, who we really are and what we try to hide."

She nodded, knowing what he meant by '_us_'.

"We looked like normal humans, sometimes even wished that we're normal, but when there is a full moon, we can't help but embrace the other side of us. The bestial side, the uglier side of us that we tried to hide from other humans."

He paused. She kept her silence.

"As for me, it reflected my inability to transform, my failure, my weakness. Every time I see my own reflection, I see this strong, powerful beast. But truth is, no matter how hard I howl at the moon, I'm still this weak, useless man. And no matter how hard I tried, I just can't forget the mistake I've done in my past."

"Kurosaki-kun…"

Ichigo cleared his throat, refusing to dwell in his swirling emotions any longer. "_Détras de la Luna_ means 'Behind the Moon', by the way."

She disliked seeing that miserable look in his eyes. She wanted to help him, but it's obvious that he wasn't ready to share his pain with her.

"I don't think werewolves are ugly," she said instead. "I think they're beautiful…"

"Inoue…"

"Kurosaki-sama! Why didn't you tell me you're coming?"

Startled, they both turned around at the voice. A tall, large man came running toward Ichigo. To Orihime, his mustache and his rectangular-shaped glasses gave him an unpleasant appearance.

"Tessai," Ichigo addressed the man calmly.

The large man shook Ichigo's hands enthusiastically as soon as he reached their sides.

"What brings you here?'

"I'm bringing my friend to see Kisuke _Oji-san_ and Yoruichi _Oba-san_."

"They're at the house." Tessai turned his attention to Orihime, "Oh, you mean you're taking this lovely young lady to meet them?"

Orihime bowed politely, "I'm Inoue Orihime. Pleased to meet you."

"Tsukabishi Tessai. Pleased to meet you too, Inoue-san."

"Inoue, Tessai-san is the one taking care this place."

"Really? You're doing an amazing job, Tessai-san, because this place is so wonderful!"

The man's cold demeanor toward Orihime earlier changed drastically. He took her hand in his large ones, beaming proudly. "You think so, Inoue-san? Oh… It's so rare these days to meet such a nice, beautiful, young woman like you."

Orihime laughed awkwardly while the older man continued to shower her with praises.

Ichigo smiled as he watched them. _That woman never cease to amuse me_, he thought, feeling somewhat proud at her ability to warm up to someone whom she'd just met.

"Ichigo!" a purple-haired woman exclaimed when she opened the door to them, and hugged Ichigo.

"Glad to see you again, Yoruichi _Oba-san_."

"Come in, please. And stop calling me _Oba-san_. I feel old when you call me that."

When they entered the living room, Orihime saw a blond man resting on the sofa, his hat shading his face. _Who wears a hat inside the house?_

The blond man stood up, and to Orihime's surprise snapped open his fan. "My, my! It's Ichigo-kun paying a surprise visit to his old uncle and aunt!" Then, his eyes fell on Orihime, "And he's bringing along a stunning woman! One that looks almost as good as my sexy Yoruichi!"

"Kisuke..." the purple-haired woman warned, shaking her head in embarrassment.

"I didn't know you had it in you, my boy! I was actually worried that I might have to answer to your father if you turn out to be gay."

"Kisuke _Oji-san_!"

"I don't want to sound old either," he whispered to Ichigo through his fan.

Orihime covered her mouth, holding back a laugh.

"As irresponsible as they might appear, those two were the ones who raised me after my parents died."

"I see..." _He never told me his parents were dead_.

"This sexy lady here is Shihouin Yoruichi. Call her Yoruichi or else she will scratch you, and this suspicious-looking man is her husband, Urahara Kisuke."

Orihime bowed at them, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Urahara-san, Yoruichi-san."

"Ohohoho!" Urahara laughed underneath his spread fan. "She's such a polite lady too! Looks like you've hit the jackpot, Ichigo."

Ichigo cleared his throat, pretending not to hear him. "This is Inoue Orihime."

"She's got such a classy name too," Yoruichi commented, gazing approvingly at the blushing woman. "Are you Ichigo's girlfriend? 'Cause if you are, he must have tricked you into agreeing to become his girlfriend. I love that boy to death but I swear, that scowl of his is really scary! Most girls ran away as soon as they set their sights on him."

Everyone except Ichigo laughed, stopping only when two kids stepped into the room, gaping at the adults.

"Oh, who are these cute children?" Orihime asked, kneeling in front of the two kids.

The older kid; a girl who had her black hair tied in pigtails, smiled shyly at Orihime before disappearing behind Yoruichi.

"And you…" Orihime turned her body to face the little boy and ruffled his hair. "Wow! You have striking red hair. Just like my _Onii-chan's_! I'm sure you'll grow up to be a handsome and strong man like him!"

Ichigo rolled his eyes at the references Orihime made to Renji. _Handsome_ was not a word he would associate with Renji.

"That boy is Hanakari Jinta. And the girl is called Tsumugiya Ururu," Ichigo told her, pointing at the little girl peeking from Yoruichi's behind. "Kisuke-san and Yoruichi-san hired those two to work at the gallery. They might seem adorable now, but when they start screaming, fighting and running around the house, you wouldn't think of them that way anymore."

"Shut up, old man! At least I'm more adorable than _you_!"

"Brat!"

"Jinta, Ichigo, don't be so rude in front of our guest!" Yoruichi stopped the childish fight between Jinta and Ichigo before turning around to look at the black-haired girl, "Ururu, why don't you prepare tea for Inoue-san?"

Orihime handed a clean plate to Ichigo, whose task was to wipe it dry. He didn't know how it happened, but Urahara had somehow tricked him into doing the dishes, and Orihime, who felt bad for him had offered to help.

And surprisingly, having her right next to him made washing plates enjoyable. Even having Yoruichi's pink apron strapped to his body didn't seem so bad when Orihime's around.

"Can I ask you something, Kurosaki-kun?"

"What is it?"

"How come you never mentioned your parents? I know they're dead, but..." She sighed, "I'm sorry..."

"No, it's okay. I just don't like talking about them because I don't want to remember how they died. And I don't want to be reminded of the looks on my little sisters' face when they were killed."

"You have sisters and they were... dead, too?"

"Yeah. Twin sisters; Yuzu and Karin. As their big brother, I was supposed to protect them, but instead, I was the one responsible for their deaths."

"Kurosaki-kun..."

"It happened a long time ago but sometimes I wish I could turn back time and challenge fate. I was the one who deserved to die, not my family."

"Don't say that..."

She let the water ran down through her fingers, hating the sad look on Ichigo's face. It was weird but she found herself deeply affected by whatever emotions running through him.

"I want to meet them."

Ichigo stopped wiping. "What?"

"Your family. I want to meet them. Take me to their graves tonight, Kurosaki-kun."

"Inoue, I..." He hated going to that place. _But... damn it! He could never turn that woman down_. "Okay."

"Thank you, Kurosaki-kun."

Ichigo forced a smile, trying to ignore the sinking feeling deep in his stomach. _I hope I won't regret this..._

An army of white tombstones greeted them at the cemetery, the trees swayed against the cold breeze, casting scary shadows over the land.

Orihime, thankful for the dim lighting of the moon, walked behind Ichigo silently.

"Here they are," he said suddenly, his steps halted as soon as he reached his family's grave. "Now, let's~"

Orihime had knelt before the grave. She saw their pictures; Ichigo's father, Kurosaki Isshin, his mother, Kurosaki Masaki, and his lovely twin sisters, Kurosaki Karin and Kurosaki Yuzu. She felt sad and angry at the same time, that fate had been so cruel to the family.

"I hope you won't worry about him anymore, Kurosaki-san," she spoke to Isshin's picture. "He's grown up to be a very good man."

"Inoue..."

She grabbed a log and sat on it. "Sit with me and talk to them, Kurosaki-kun. I'm sure your family would love to hear from you."

Ichigo remained still.

"I'm here with you, Kurosaki-kun. I'll stay with you and listen to your story along with them." Orihime consoled. Seeing Ichigo's hesitation, she added, "It will make them happy. I did it all the time with Sora _Onii-chan_, because I know he can hear me from heaven."

Ichigo wanted to ask who that Sora was but decided he would do that some other time. He sat down next to Orihime. She gave him an encouraging smile.

They stayed silent for a moment. Orihime waited patiently for Ichigo to muster up his courage.

Finally, he opened his mouth and surprisingly, words flowed freely out of his mouth, telling her, telling _them_ his story.

He began with how he coped with their deaths, how everyone around him helped him get back on his feet. He told stories about his friends, Aizen, Urahara, Yoruichi and the rest of the people his family had left behind. He told them about his art gallery, his paintings, and his plans for the gallery. He told them how much he missed them, how badly he regretted his careless mistake on that fateful day, and how, _oh God_, how much he wished they were still alive.

He told them everything that crossed his mind, and Orihime stayed by his side, listening patiently.

When his steady voice started to waver, when his words began to come out in short, choked bursts, tears clouding his eyes, she wrapped her tiny arms around his waist and buried her face in his broad chest, calming him, supporting him.

It was just a simple gesture, but strangely, as he held her slim frame, enveloping her body with his, he felt stronger. Ichigo closed his eyes, letting drop of tears rolled down his cheeks and fell on top of her auburn head.

Ichigo resumed his story and she listened, crying along with him as he went on.

The glowing sickle above them shone its pale light on her face, and Ichigo had never seen anything as beautiful.

"Inoue..." he called softly.

Her rhythmic breath was all he could hear.

"Inoue..." he repeated, shaking her limp body slightly.

"Come on, wake up. What are you thinking? Falling asleep in a guy's arms, in the middle of a solitary cemetery? God knows millions of things I'll be tempted to do with you unconscious like this."

Still, no response from the sleeping beauty.

Ichigo opened his mouth, "Ino~" _Wait_. "Orihime..." he whispered, and felt like cursing himself when his cheeks started to burn up. _Did I blush? Shit_.

A soft moan escaped her lips, and the heat in his cheeks started to spread through his entire body. _Damn it! If she keeps making noises like that, I wouldn't be able to control myself any longer!_

_On second thought, maybe I _can_ do something. She's sleeping like a baby, she wouldn't know a thing_, he battled in his thoughts, staring down at the smoothness of her skin, at her long, curly lashes, and her lips, damn, her _lips_... They looked so soft and plump, and he remembered exactly the way they feel when he ran his fingers on them earlier.

Even in the middle of nothingness, with darkness surrounding them, her beauty shone through. _How can God create something so beautiful?_

_I wish she would be mine..._

He bent, and slowly, lovingly, captured her lips with his. He'd wanted to kiss her since the first time he laid his eyes on her, and he'd anticipated it to feel heavenly exhilarating. But now that he'd finally kissed her, he felt something... _more_. It was something that no words can describe. It was a wonderful, amazing, exciting feeling. It felt like he was floating on air, his senses alerted, his heart thumping faster with an overwhelming sense of happiness mingled with a tinge of sadness – feeling like he wanted to laugh and cry at the same time – and the butterflies were dancing in his stomach.

She moved and mumbled something into his mouth. Startled, he pulled away, thinking he'd waken her up. But the sleeping beauty was still lost in her dreams.

"Hey..." he croaked, but it was useless. "Let's get you out of here," he said into the silence, finally accepting the fact that he'd never be able to wake her up.

Keeping his right arm across the small of her back, he wrapped his left arm under her leg and hoisted her body up. Her head lolled to the side, and for the second time, he thought she'd woke up. He was wrong, again.

He adjusted his right hand, making sure her head rested as comfortably as possible, then he began walking away from his family's graves. He kept his eyes on her as he moved forward slowly.

The world around him was in utter silence, and as the cold, white stones protruded silently, the wind blew softly against his skin, carrying whispers of the dead from beneath the ground, Kurosaki Ichigo had never felt so alive.

Had anyone stopped and listened at the door, they would definitely hear the sighs and moans coming from the two lovers intertwined on the bed.

The woman gyrated her hips slowly, teasingly, enveloping his hard, throbbing length with her wetness, eliciting pleasure-filled moans from him.

She moved faster as he tightened his grips on her small butt, their breaths raspy, their bodies sweating profusely. She felt the tiny knot of pleasure forming deep inside her as their movements quickened.

No longer able to contain his budding ecstasy, the man sunk his nails into his partner's skin, holding her, and began thrusting hard into her core. Her moans turned into urgent gasps as he plunged his shaft deeper and harder, hitting her pleasure spot repeatedly, and when orgasm ripped through her body, she screamed. Beneath her, her lover arched his back, burying himself deeper as he climaxed, shooting his seeds into her womb.

She collapsed on top of him, nuzzling his ear before she rolled over and lied next to him, her head on his shoulder, her fingers running naughtily all over his naked upper body.

"That was amazing..." he murmured, flashing a content smile at her. "I can't believe it's your first time, Tatsuki."

"I'm surprised too..." she answered, keeping her eyes on her dancing fingers, her face blushing red and glowing with happiness.

"I think I'll pick more fights with you in the future, so you can surprise me with more hot, unplanned, make-up sex."

She slapped him playfully but he screamed in exaggerated pain. He began tickling her, causing Tatsuki to laugh and kick around madly, but Ishida was already rolling on top of her. Lacing his fingers with her, he stared at his blushing girlfriend.

"Don't look at me like that. I know I'm not as pretty or curvy as other women..."

"But to me, you're prettier than any other women"

"Really?"

"Yeah, 'cause none of them can make my heart beat faster. Only you can do that."

"That's so corny."

"You think so? But I can tell that you like it."

She looked away, her face red with embarrassment.

"Tatsuki..."

"Hm?"

"I love you..."

She looked up at him with love blazing in her eyes, reflecting his. "I love you too, Uryuu..."

"I want you to train me."

The blond man glanced through his hat at the orange-haired man. "What?"

"Train me. I need to regain my wolf form."

Urahara chuckled, "I thought you despised that side of you, Ichigo."

"Someone said to me that being half beast wasn't so bad. And I decided to do my best protecting that person."

Urahara nodded silently.

"Besides, I think my family has forgiven me for what happened..." Ichigo added slowly, staring up at the sky.

Urahara patted his shoulder, "They've forgiven you a long time ago, Ichigo. You're the only one who hadn't forgiven yourself all these years."

"I guess you're right. I was so caught up in my guilt in the past. But it's time to change now."

"Glad you've finally realized that, my boy..."

"So am I..."

"That someone you're talking about... Is it Inoue Orihime?"

"Yeah..." Ichigo answered, smiling a smile Urahara had never seen before.

The older man let out a heavy sigh, "She's human, Ichigo."

Ichigo turned around to face Urahara, his smile disappeared. "So?"

"Ichigo, what do you want out of all this? Is it just a stupid crush? Or are you serious about this woman? Do you love her enough to marry her one day?"

"I... don't know... I'm attracted to her... And I like her..."

"She's mortal. She will die, Ichigo, and you will be left alone. I think you know better than me, what it's like to lose someone you love. Besides, if you marry her, don't you want to have children? We can't produce offspring if we mate with humans, you know that."

"I... haven't thought about all that."

"Think deeply and carefully. I just don't want you to get hurt."

"I will. Thanks for the advice, Kisuke-san."

Urahara smiled weakly at him.

"Kurosaki-kun!"

His auburn-haired beauty was beaming at him, dragging the two children, cotton candies in their hands.

Ichigo sighed. He'd wanted to spend the night at the fun fair with her but Urahara, Yoruichi, Jinta and Ururu had somehow managed to come along with them. Now that the sneaky duo had disappeared mysteriously, he and Orihime had to take the responsibility to watch over the two brats.

He looked back at them in time to see Orihime kneeling down and wiping the smudge of cotton candy on the corner of Ururu's mouth. _Such a sweet scene. She's really something; even the foul-mouthed Jinta acted polite around her and the usually shy Ururu warmed up to her. I wouldn't mind her becoming the mother of my children_, Ichigo thought, but Urahara's words popped suddenly into his mind, and he drove the thoughts away.

Hands shoved in his pockets, he walked over to them. Orihime smiled up at him. He merely stared, eyes fixated on her lips, remembering the way they tasted.

"Ururu, let's go there!" Jinta shouted, tugging the older girl impatiently, his finger pointing at something in the distance.

Ururu looked at Orihime expectantly.

Orihime smiled. "Okay, but be careful. We'll wait right here."

The two kids ran and disappeared in the crowd.

_I'm finally alone with her_, Ichigo thought in delight as she stood up next to him.

"I need your help, Kurosaki-kun."

He smirked, "Anything for you, Inoue."

For the first time in his life, Ichigo was grateful that his friends weren't around at that precise moment. Had any of them saw him working on the machine, trying to fetch a blue dolphin toy dumped in the large, square glass. Beside him, Orihime cheered loudly, causing a number of people to stop and glanced with curiosity at the bright-haired pair.

After he wrestled for a couple of minutes with the mechanics, Ichigo finally managed to grab the wanted plush and dropped it into the tray. Orihime jumped with joy when she picked the dolphin up. Her face was glowing with joy that Ichigo forgave her for the embarrassment she'd made him go through.

"That's so cute!" Ururu squealed behind them.

Orihime turned around, surprised at first because she hadn't realized that Ururu and Jinta had been standing behind them for quite some time.

"Would you like to have it?" she asked the little girl.

_What the hell? I won that for you!_ Ichigo screamed in his head.

But Orihime had already handed the plush over to Ururu, who started to dance around joyously.

"Sorry…" she said to Ichigo, who shrugged his shoulders in return. "Can you pick up another one?"

"If you're only giving it to Jinta~"

"I'm not interested in childish stuffs like that!" Jinta cut in smugly. "_You're_ way too old to be playing with that thing too!" the boy added, his eyes focusing on Ichigo.

"Brat!" Ichigo lifted his hand, intending to smack the brat's head, but the cheeky boy had disappeared once again, pulling Ururu along with him.

"Jeez, that boy will grow up to be a delinquent."

"That's not very nice, Kurosaki-kun."

He looked away, feeling ashamed and cursing himself for acting so childish around her.

"Erm… Kurosaki-kun? About that other plush I was asking about?"

"Inoue…"

"Please?"

_Damn it! Why does she have to look so cute pouting like that?_ "Okay."

"Yay! Kurosaki-kun is such a nice man!"

He ended up winning another plush toy for her. This time it was a pink teddy bear with white paws.

_Who the hell designed such a ridiculous thing like a pink bear?_

But Orihime looked so happy, and nothing made him happier than hearing her merry laughter.

"Thank you, Kurosaki-kun!" she beamed, holding the plush toy close to her chest, and Ichigo found himself wishing he were the plush toy.

"You should treat me for dinner."

"Okay, since you won Enraku for me," she laughed.

_Enraku? She's naming that toy? But it's cute..._

Another _brilliant_ thought popped in Ichigo's mind.

"Or… maybe a 'thank you' kiss would be enough," he teased, but his eyes widened with surprise when Orihime tiptoed and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

Her cheeks tinted red, she quickly walked away from him, but Ichigo was fast to act. He grabbed her hand and pulled her. Orihime gasped when her body crashed into his hard, muscular one.

"Do you think I'll let you get away with a lame kiss like that?"

"Kurosaki-kun…" she pleaded, squirming in his grip, but he already had his strong arms around her.

"I'm not going to let you push me away this time..." he breathed into her ears. Orihime shivered at the sound of his sexy voice.

"K-kurosaki-kun..." she stammered, placing her delicate hands on his hard chest and tried her best to push him away, but failed.

Ichigo smirked at the flustered woman and leaned closer. They were so close now that he could smell her shampoo and feel the heat radiating from her skin.

"I'm going to kiss you now," he said, and did exactly that.

Orihime's eyes went wide when she felt Ichigo's lips on her. _It feels weird... kissing someone_, she thought, _and his lips, strangely, feel soft... and warm_. She felt like she was floating on air but at the same time, drowning in the sea of her emotions.

_This is wrong..._ she reasoned, but finding herself returning his kiss clumsily, and unconsciously burying her fingers in his orange locks, her eyes closed. Ichigo groaned in pleasure and tilted her head upward, allowing his more access to her mouth.

They feasted on each others' mouth for a few seconds before Ichigo felt her body went rigid. Moments later, he tasted drops of warm, salty tears on her mouth.

"Inoue?" he asked, pulling back, his eyes filled with concern.

She was crying. _Damn! Did I do something wrong?_

"I-I'm sorry, Kurosaki-kun... I can't do this...

_What does she means?_

"Are you okay? D-did I hurt you or something?" _Why on earth am I stuttering?_

She shook her head. "I have to tell you something..."

He reached out his hand to comfort her, but Ururu, appearing out of nowhere, snatched it instead. Noticing the girl's presence, Orihime looked away quickly, wiping her tears with her trembling right hand while the other clutched Enraku tightly.

"I'm sleepy. I want to go home," Ururu said. Ichigo glanced over at Orihime, but she had her back to him.

"Let's go..." Ururu proded impatiently.

"Okay," Ichigo gave in finally. Ururu began dragging him toward the car. Ichigo tried to grab Orihime's hand, who followed silently behind them, but she already had them on Enraku, hugging the toy closely to her body.

Keeping a close distance behind her, Jinta kept his mouth shut, not mentioning anything about the traces of dried tears he saw on her face.

"Should we warn him about the high possibility of heartbreak, Kisuke?" Yoruichi asked, looking up at the man who had his arms wrapped comfortably around her.

They were sitting up on a hill, staring at the beautiful stars twinkling up above, her head rested on his chest.

"I already did," he told her, nuzzling the back of her exposed neck.

"You did? And what did he say to you after that?"

"He told me he'd think about it."

"Was he upset?"

"Maybe. A bit."

Yourichi sighed, "Poor boy finally fell for someone, but it's the wrong girl."

Tatsuki cursed as she ran down the stairs, taking two steps at a time. She was chatting on the phone with Ishida when the doorbell rang for the first time.

Another shrill ring was heard.

"Okay, okay! I'm coming!" Tatsuki yelled at the impatient ringing.

_Where the hell are Mama Rangiku and Renji when you need them?_

She leaped down and dashed at the door. She swung open the door to a pair of cold emerald eyes.

"Ulquiorra."


	16. ACT XVI : Shattered Trust, Broken Hearts

**Author's Note:** Hi, everyone! I miss you guys! Here's Chapter 16. Sorry for the late update though. I was so busy at work and when I'm tired, I can't write… I watched the latest episode a few days ago. I loved the way Ichigo fought Ulquiorra desperately in the previous episode as well. But in this one, when he was lying unconscious on the floor, forcing himself to get up to help Orihime, I almost cried! And I realized how much I missed writing this story, though I couldn't start writing right away…

For those who reviewed the last chapter: **world-of-bleach2b, Blitch, xEmmaChanx, cheerleader40404, MrsMoshae, zodious, Ever Angel 27, lunarstar77, elle003, seto'swifey, glonmorski, AVAgrl, mmk15, BB03, meow,** and **Lyhime,** thank you so, so much! This chapter is dedicated to you guys! =) I wanted to response to your reviews but I didn't have time… Sorry…

Anyway, I hope you guys will enjoy this one. I'm afraid it was not as good as the last chapter. Some of you complimented me for the last chapter and it made so happy. I don't watch romance, I don't read romance and I never wrote romance before my IchiHime stories, so it's hard for me to write romantic scenes… So, read, enjoy and review, yeah?

By the way, I'm going to have to take a long break because next week is going to be a very, very busy work for me, and for the next two weeks, I'll be in my hometown for a traditional festival holiday. I'm sorry but there's nothing I can do… =(

**Warning:** Grammatical errors (I admit I was too lazy to check this one thoroughly), lemon (I'm not turning into a pervert, I swear!) and cursing (blame Ichigo). Oh, before you guys start telling me you hate Rukia in this one, I have to say, what she did in this chapter is what I would most likely do in her situation. I'm not downgrading her character. Also, the little stars I put between each scenes were missing when I uploaded the chapters, I hadn't realized this so thank you **Blitch** for pointing it out, and forgive me if this chapter came out pretty messy as well.

**Disclaimer:** Bleach and the poem I quoted in this chapter is Kubo Tite's property.

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_**I envy because of the heart.**_

_**I glutton because of the heart.**_

_**I covet because of the heart.**_

_**I am prideful because of the heart…**_

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"Ulquiorra-kun," Orihime breathed in shock, her handbag slid down her shoulder and fell to the floor.

She had just walked in and set down her luggage on the floor when she saw him waiting for her, sitting on the sofa.

His arms holding her in a tight embrace, he buried his face in the crook of her neck. "Orihime…"

_What's going on? He's usually uncomfortable with physical contacts…_

"Is something wrong, Ulquiorra-kun?"

"Nothing. I was just worried about you."

"What are you talking about? I'm doing fine." She blinked, "Is that why you came home early? Because you were worried about me?"

He nodded.

"I had this feeling like something bad had happened to you. I waited for you to call but I know you wouldn't because I told you not to call when I'm away on a business trip."

_What an uncharacteristically long explanation on Uluiorra-kun's part._

"I came to your house yesterday but Tatsuki said you were spending the night at a friend's house."

"It's a friend from university. We're working on our latest assignment."

Ulquiorra's body stiffened. _She's a bad liar._ He couldn't help noticing the absence of her engagement ring on her finger.

_And that smell_… _His_ lingering scent on her skin… He didn't like it one bit. He inhaled deeply, trying to push the thought away.

"Come with me. I have a surprise for you."

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"Ichigo! You're back."

Ichigo flashed a smile at his best friend. He opened the fridge, took out a bottle of orange juice and grabbed a glass from the kitchen counter before he sat down next to Rukia.

"Where have you been?"

"I went to see Kisuke and Yoruichi."

Rukia sighed. She could tell that he was happy, judging by that grin he had.

"Did you go there alone?"

"Nope," Ichigo answered, pouring the orange juice into his glass.

She closed her eyes, knowing what he was going to say next.

"I took Inoue with me."

"Why?"

He drank the juice. "Why do you ask?"

"Nothing. I'm just… curious."

"Rukia, I like her. I think I want to be more than just friends with her, you know…"

"Don't do it."

His goofy grin disappearing, Ichigo stared at her. "What? Why?"

"Ichigo, I'm your best friend, and I care for you. I don't want you to get hurt."

"What is this nonsense you're talking about?"

"I've been thinking about this over and over again. I decided I have to tell you the truth."

"Rukia, quit beating around the bush."

"Ichigo… She's… She's already engaged!"

His empty glass drooped to the floor, breaking into tiny pieces.

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Orihime watched the kids chasing each other and at times, laughed at their antics.

They were at a park near her house. She looked up the clear, blue sky and smiled. _It's such a beautiful day…_

"Orihime…"

"Mmm?"

"I have a present for you."

"Ulquiorra-kun… You shouldn't have."

But he'd already reached into his pocket and revealed a beautiful box. He handed it over to her.

She accepted the gift hesitantly.

"Open it," he urged eagerly, smiling in anticipation.

"O-okay…"

She did as she was told, gasping when she saw a beautiful crystal bracelet inside the box.

"This must be expensive. I can't accept it."

"Don't be ridiculous. You're going to marry me soon, so don't worry about stupid little things like that."

"Ulquiorra-kun…"

Ulquiorra took out the bracelet, "Let me put it on for you."

He grabbed her hand, putting it in his lap. She watched silently as he clasped the bracelet on her wrist.

"It's beautiful," he said, admiring his gift on her.

Orihime smiled sadly at him. He'd always showered her with gifts, lots and lots of expensive gifts. She knew that was his way of showing her how important he was to him, but… It wasn't something she wanted. It wasn't something she needed.

He must stop trying to _buy_ her heart.

"Ulquiorra-kun, I…"

He moved his body closer to her, and to her shock, brushed her lips with his. Her eyes opened wide. _Ulquiorra-kun is kissing me for the very first time…_

Slowly, she shut her eyes, trying to understand her feeling at that moment as he slanted his lips over hers, his hands wrapped tightly behind her back.

_Something is wrong… Something is missing… My heart should be pounding right now, shouldn't it? Somehow… Somehow it's not the same as it was with Kurosaki-kun… _

"WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON HERE!"

Startled, Orihime broke free from the kiss and looked toward the direction of the surprised, angry voice.

"Kurosaki-kun?"

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Ulquiorra stood up abruptly, his face unreadable.

"I should ask you the same thing, Kurosaki Ichigo," he said calmly to the intruding man.

"You're… Ulquiorra Cifer," Ichigo blurted, recognizing the other man.

"I'm honored that you too, recognize me."

"What are you doing here? Why are you with her?" Then, averting his eyes toward Orihime, he bombarded her with strings of questions, "Rukia told me you are engaged. Is it true? Is it… is it with _him_?"

She looked down, fidgeting with the hem of her dress.

"Inoue! Answer me, damn it! Are you engaged?"

"Don't yell at her."

"Shut up, Ulquiorra! Answer me, Inoue!"

He could feel the anger boiling inside him. He'd never been that angry since the day he lost his family. Her looking so guilty and keeping her mouth stubbornly silent fueled his anger even more. His fist curled tightly at his sides, his teeth gritted, he shouted at her again, "INOUE!"

"Y-yes…"

"What?"

"I said, yes! Please don't make me repeat it…" she pleaded, her tears starting to roll down her cheeks.

Ichigo felt as if the ground was spinning under him, making him feel dizzy. _Rukia's right…_

He marched angrily toward them. He thought that he would trip because he was walking blindly, blind with rage… But somehow, he managed to walk straight.

"Why haven't you told me you were engaged? You could have told me, and I wouldn't be looking like a damn fool that I am now! Were you trying to play me? Is that it? You just want to fuck around with my heart and my feelings?"

"Kurosaki-kun…"

"Why did you kissed me when you're already owned by another man?"

Ulquiorra closed his eyes at Ichigo's words. _They kissed. Knowing that…_ _Somehow, it hurts…_

"I thought you're a sweet, kind woman… But truth is, you're just a deceitful, manipulative, fake person! You lied to me? Do you like seeing me getting hurt like this? Do you like it?"

Orihime wrapped his arms around her body, trying desperately to stop trembling but she couldn't. He scared her. He was furious, and what made it worst, his anger was directed toward her. Only her.

_I'm so stupid…_

Ichigo moved forward, but sensing his movement, Ulquiorra stepped in front of Orihime, shielding her with his body and at the same time, stopping Ichigo.

"Move!" Ichigo growled.

Ulquiorra stubbornly stayed still.

"Are you deaf? I said, move! This is between me and her!"

"Don't be so full of yourself. You heard what she said earlier, she's engaged to me. She's mine, so whatever happened between the two of you, I'm involved whether you like it or not."

_She's mine… She's mine…_

Ulquiorra's words echoed inside his head repeatedly like a broken record. _That's right, she was already taken… But…_

Ichigo shot the man a death glare.

"Fuck you!"

Ulquiorra threw a hard punch in his face, sending the orange-haired man to fell backward on the ground.

Behind him, Orihime stood up, shocked at Ulquiorra's sudden reaction and scared for Ichigo at the same time.

Wiping the blood at the corner of his lips, Ichigo struggled to get up, but a strong hand on his shoulder was putting him down. He looked up. It was Renji.

"That's enough," Renji said calmly. "I should have known things will turn out bad when you barged in to our house looking for Orihime."

"_Onii-chan_…"

Renji released his hold on Ichigo and walked over to his crying sister. He hugged her, stroking her hair to calm her as she sobbed into his chest. "It's okay… I'm here…"

Addressing the two men, he spoke firmly, "I'm taking her with me. She's my sister, and I won't let any of you hurt her."

Keeping his arm around her, he led her away from the two men, who watched silently as they left.

Ichigo got up and dusted off his jeans. "This is not over between us, Ulquiorra," he told him, and walked away.

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_**I sloth because of the heart.**_

_**I rage because of the heart…**_

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Orihime threw herself on the bed. A very concerned Tatsuki stared at her sadly as she cried into the soft pillow.

"Orihime…"

"He was so mad at me, Tatsuki-chan. I never saw him like that. But I deserved it. Oh God, I'm sure he hates me now."

Tatsuki rubbed her back, soothing her, "Sshhh…"

"Ulquiorra-kun too… He was always kind to me but I'm sure he won't forgive me this time. I never intended to cheat on him or something! I… I'm so stupid!"

"Stop blaming yourself… Love is complex. It's unpredictable, it's hard to control, and it's impossible to stop."

"I thought I could be just friends with Kurosaki-kun… That it wouldn't do any harm if we spend time together… I never wanted to hide the truth from him. But seeing him getting angry like that, it broke my heart…"

"I know…"

"What am I going to do now, Tatsuki-chan?"

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It was official.

He's pathetic.

The bad boy persona he wore so perfectly was shattered because of a woman. A woman named Inoue Orihime.

He tried to push away her image out of his head but she appeared in his mind all the time.

Rukia apologized to him but he said nothing to her. He wasn't mad at her but for some reason, he felt like he would prefer to live in a lie, as long as it would mean he could have Orihime around him.

His other friends tried to drag him out of bed, claiming it's totally useless for him to just sit and mope inside his room but after failing consecutively for a few days, they gave up.

And once again, he found himself sitting in front of an eel, painting her smiling face, a bottle of vodka in his left hand. He missed her. Badly.

_What do I do now?_

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Ulquiorra leaned back in his chair, his eyes closed, his headache thudding steadily.

Orihime had been avoiding him for days, refusing to come to the phone whenever he called, hiding in her room when he came to her house.

He hadn't realized when it all began, but he figured he loved her after all. He'd believed their relationship was based on convenience, that he decided to marry her because she was the only person he could trust with his life.

But when Kurosaki Ichigo mentioned about him kiss with Orihime, he felt a sharp pang in his heart. _Jealousy… It's such an alien feeling for him…_

When she called her house earlier, Tatsuki answered. He left a message, saying that he would try to stay away from Orihime until she made up her mind, and whatever she decided in the end, he would be okay with it as long as she'll be happy.

_But the thought of losing her…_

_What do I do now?_

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Orihime buried herself under the thick cover, trying desperately to deafen her ears.

"Inoue! Please come out! I need to talk to you!"

She grabbed a pillow and put it over her head.

"Inoue!" he called again.

"Stop it, Kurosaki-kun… Go home, please…" she whispered into the dark.

"Inoue!"

There was a sound of glass breaking, followed by a loud crash, as if someone knocked over the dustbin outside the house. Then, she heard the front door open and her Onii-chan's annoyed voice.

"What are doing outside our house at a time like this, you idiot?"

"Inoue… Where is she? I want to see her. I need to talk to her."

"You really should go home now. You're drunk."

"No… I want to see her…"

"Fool…"

And then came silence.

Orihime waited impatiently to hear their voices again. After a few agonizing minutes, she heard a car's engine started and drove away from the house.

_Where is Onii-chan taking Kurosaki-kun?_

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Renji glanced briefly at the man in his passenger's seat. He'd knocked Ichigo unconscious earlier and dragged him to his car. As much as he hated to admit it, he started to feel sorry for the other man.

"You should be thankful that I didn't beat your ass," he spoke to himself. "And I don't know why I'm taking you home."

"Inoue…" Ichigo mumbled in response.

"You really have it bad, dude."

"Why did you lie to me…?"

Renji focused on the road, ignoring the man next to him.

"I thought you liked me…"

Renji sighed heavily.

"Inoue…"

_What should I do about those idiots?_

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But the next night, he was outside her window again.

She popped her head through the open window and told him to get away. Hisagi had taken her family to a restaurant, saying all of them needed to celebrate after everything they'd gone through. Orihime, however, refused to go along, and faked a stomachache. A few arguments ensued about leaving her alone but they eventually gave up.

"Inoue! Please…!"

"No!"

"If you won't come out, I will bust in through your window!"

"No, you won't…" she said, but then she remembered their first date, and how effortlessly he jumped over the buildings. She bolted out of her bed to close the window but it was too late. He was already standing in front of her.

Her eyes widened at his noticeably thinner form. "Kurosaki-kun…"

He moved closer to her. She took a few steps backward until she hit the bed and plopped down weakly.

"I'm sorry I busted in like this, but I really need to see you…"

"Why? I thought you were mad at me."

"I did, at first… But now that the anger has subsided, I miss you more and more…"

"Don't say that…"

"But I really do… Don't you miss me too?"

_Yes… Yes… I think about you all the time…_ "No," she answered shortly, and looked away.

"You lied."

"You don't know that."

He walked to her front and placed his hands on the sides of her head, turning her face toward him. "I can see the redness in your eyes… Have you been crying?"

She said nothing to him.

"I'm sorry I caused you so much pain…"

"How can you be so sure I was crying for you? It could be for _him_."

He bit his lips. "Don't say things like that. You know that it will hurt me."

She saw the hurt flickering in his eyes. What made her say harsh things like that? "I'm sorry, Kurosaki-kun… I just… I just wanted to drive you away… I wasn't trying to hurt you by saying that…"

Hearing her words, his tensed face became evidently relieved. "It's okay… But please, stop lying to me…"

"I'm sorry…"

Ichigo kneeled in front of her. "Stop saying you're sorry. Whatever mistakes you've done, I forgive you…"

Her heart broke, seeing the sincerity in his eyes. _Oh God, she wished she'd met him before she got engaged to another man._

Then slowly, she extended her shaky hand to touch his face.

"Kurosaki-kun…"

"Inoue…"

She traced her small digits along his sharp, angular jaw. Ichigo groaned, his skin scorching hot from her warm touches.

"Kurosaki-kun... I'm sorry… I didn't mean to lie to you."

"I know… And I'll repeat myself, stop saying you're sorry."

Ignoring his slightly annoyed voice, she continued, "I liked spending time with you. I liked being your friend. I thought you cared for me only as a friend, so I told myself there was nothing wrong…"

She curled her trembling fist on his shirt. She was clutching the fabric so tightly he thought her fragile fingers would break.

"But I guess in the end the heart wants what the heart wants. I can't no longer deny it. I… I like you too, Kurosaki-kun…"

She lowered her gaze, heat creeping up to her cheeks, staining them red.

"Inoue…" Ichigo breathed, reaching out his hand to cup her face.

He pressed his lips to hers softly, his heart beating painfully inside his chest.

He pulled away, grabbed her shoulders and pushed her slowly to the bed.

Her luscious auburn locks spread on the pillow, her large gray eyes looked up to him, her plump, pink lips glistened under the neon lamp; she looked almost angelic to him.

"K-Kurosaki-kun…" she stuttered, blushing madly under his intense stare.

Ichigo leaned closer slowly. He was on top of her now, supporting his weight with his hands so he wouldn't crush her. "Choose me," he croaked.

"Eh?"

"You said you like me. And as for me, I think… I think I'm in love with you, Inoue… I've lived for a very long time but I've never, not even once, felt the way I'm feeling for you…"

"That's…"

"So stay with me. Gosh, this is a very cheesy thing to say, but… My life would be very empty without you. I've only known you for a short amount of time but it feels like I've known you forever. And all those moments I spent with you are the happiest moments in my life…"

"Kurosaki-kun…"

"So, stay with me… Tell him that we love each other, and that he~"

Orihime curled her arms around her neck, pulling herself up and caught his lips in a long kiss, silencing him. Ichigo moaned, loving the way she moved her soft, warm lips over his.

"I love you too, Kuro~, no, Ichigo-kun…" she said shyly, letting go of her lips.

Ichigo stared with wonder at the flushed woman before him, surprised yet pleased at the same time that she finally called him by his given name.

"Orihime…" he blurted out, liking the sound of his own voice saying hers.

She smiled sadly, "I love you… But I've made my decision."

Ichigo felt his heart sank, dreading the words she's going to say next.

"I will marry Ulquiorra-kun… I've made a promise and I will not break it."

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Neliel screamed in pure bliss as her boyfriend rammed roughly into her.

She was down in all four as Grimmjow worked her from her behind. He smirked proudly, watching her pleasure-filled face in the large mirror he'd installed in her bedroom.

Seeing how much she enjoyed their rough lovemaking, he'd gotten more turned on and started to thrust faster and harder, eliciting frequent moans and shouts of ecstasy from the busty green-haired woman.

He bent forward, grabbed her breasts, massaging them with his calloused hands while maintaining the steady pace of his thrusts.

When a wave of ecstasy ripped through her, Nel arched her back, screaming along with him as his hot semen poured into her.

Totally spent, they both collapsed onto her bed.

"That was… Amazing…" he whispered, nibbling on her ears.

"Yeah… But if Aizen-sama found out I've been hiding you here, he'll kill me."

He lifted his gaze to meet hers. "Do you want to get rid of me that badly?"

"No! Of course not! Forget what I said, okay?"

"Baby, you always worry about the littlest things. Besides, if Aizen really hates me as much as you said, he wouldn't help me getting my arm fixed."

"I was surprised, to be honest."

"Well, maybe there's a lot more about Aizen we don't know about."

"Yeah, maybe…"

"I'm moving out tomorrow, anyway?"

"What? Where will you go?"

"The Fallen… I've found them, and I'm going to stay with them."

"But…"

"Don't worry, I'll make sure to visit you often." Smirking, he whispered in her ear, "Just call me whenever you have trouble sleeping. I'll help making you tired so you could sleep well…"

She hit his arm playfully, "Pervert!"

"Now that we're on that topic, what do you say about a second round?"

"Grimmjow!"

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The man paced around in his room.

His addiction was getting worse.

He was agitated, sweating profusely, and if he didn't quench his thirst soon, he would go crazy.

When he first killed, he thought it would be a one-time incident. But human blood tasted so sweet and he couldn't help it but kept wanting more and more.

He growled in frustration.

He needed to kill. Only then he would feel better…

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_**Because of the heart,**_

_**I lust for everything about you…**_


	17. ACT XVII : After Dark

**Author's Note : **Finally! An update from me after more than half a year! I'm so sorry for neglecting this fic for such a long time, but RL demanded too much of my time and energy that I just couldn't focus on writing this. But I promise I'll complete this story. I'm really grateful for anyone out there who's still willing to read the story. And I'm sorry if this chapter is not as good as some of the previous chapters. I haven't written anything for a long long time.

For all of you who've supported me, and this story, after all this time, thank you very much. If it weren't for you guys, I would've given up a long time ago… So please, keep reading and reviewing… =)

**Warning :** Grammatical errors? Too tired to double check.

**Disclaimer :** I don't own Bleach.

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"_Orihime…"_

"_Please, Ichigo-kun… If you really love me, you'll let me go…"_

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Love.

He never thought he'd fall in love.

He never thought that he'd lose the woman of his dream as soon as he found her.

He loved her.

And the fact that they couldn't be together was killing him.

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There was a soft knock on Ichigo's door.

He remained silent, wishing that whoever it was behind the door would take the hint and leave.

The knocking came again, this time louder and more profound. Ichigo groaned. _So much for taking the hint_, he thought bitterly.

Another knock was heard.

Ichigo gave in eventually. "Come in…"

Aizen walked in. His eyes landed disapprovingly at his nephew, sprawled across his large bed, staring up the ceiling; a distant look in his amber gaze.

He sat slowly beside Ichigo. The younger man, however, remained motionless; there was not even a slightest blink to acknowledge his uncle's presence in the room.

Aizen sighed. "How long are you going to keep this up?"

"Keep what up?" Ichigo responded half-heartedly, keeping his eyes fixed on the ceiling.

"Locking yourself in your room, refusing to see your friends, intentionally starving yourself for days, sulking…"

"Maybe until I feel better?"

"Doing all _that_ won't make you feel any better."

Ichigo turned his head to look at his uncle for the first time since he entered the room. "Then what am I supposed to do?"

"Anything but _this_. Lying around like a corpse won't do you any good, Ichigo."

Sitting upright, Ichigo buried his hands in his orange locks, tugging at them desperately. "I don't know what to do. I want to forget her. I want to push her away from my thoughts, but I can't. I keep seeing her in my head. I keep hearing her voice. My mind's a total mess and right now, I'm at a complete loss!"

"No one ever said that being in love is easy."

"But no one has ever told me that it would be this hard either! I've lived for hundreds of years, yet right now I'm feeling like a fifteen year-old boy, having his heart broken for the first time! It's so damn frustrating!""

"I know…" Then, sighing heavily, he asked, "Do you really love that woman, Ichigo?"

Ichigo hesitated for a moment, random thoughts jumbling inside his head. _Does he love her? Does he?_ _How do you even measure love?_

But then he remembered everything… The way her soft lips felt when he'd kissed her… The way her gray eyes seemed to sparkle when she looked at him, drowning him… The way he felt whenever he held her… He'd gladly give up everything just to have her by his side… _forever_…

"Yes! I will do anything I can to make her mine! Anything at all! But there's nothing I can do…"

"Is there really nothing you can do?"

Puzzled, Ichigo lifted his gaze to meet his uncle's, "What do you mean?"

"There is only one thing standing between you and her, right?"

"Yes…"

"Then get rid of that obstacle. An alpha male never give up before trying his hardest to achieve what he wants in life."

"Do you mean-"

"Your father was the strongest in our pack, Ichigo, legendary, in fact. As his only son, not to mention you being the firstborn child, I'm sure you inherited his power. Ulquiorra is no match for you."

"You're telling me to fight Ulquiorra?"

"Yes. Defeat him and the woman will be yours."

Ichigo considered the suggestion for a moment before finally shaking his head. "She won't like it."

"You're a man Ichigo. That's just the way us men do things. Besides, she'll see your determination and if she really loves you, I'm sure she wants to be with you as much as you want to be with her."

Ichigo deliberated the idea. _There's nothing for him to lose anyway, so he might as well try, right?_

"You may be right. But… you know of my… _disability_. How can I win against such a strong opponent?"

Aizen smiled softly and touched his hand to Ichigo's chest, "Don't you ever forget who you really are. You have it in you. You're a beast, Ichigo."

"I…"

"And don't forget, in our world, my beloved nephew, only the strongest will get to mate."

_The strongest… Can I really be the strongest?_

Standing up, Aizen patted Ichigo's shoulder lightly, "Think about it. Would you rather lie in your bed, blaming fate and lose the love of your life forever? Or, you can get up and overcome the largest obstacle in your relationship so you can be together with her?"

_I don't know…_

"If she's worth fighting for, do it. Or you will regret letting her go for the rest of your life."

"But the last time I transformed, my family…"

Aizen smiled, "Don't let the past haunt you forever, Ichigo. This time, make me proud."

"Aizen-_sama_…"

"I know that I might never be able to replace your father in your heart, Ichigo, but I want you to know, whenever you need me, I'll always be there for you."

Suddenly, Ichigo was glad Aizen came to talk to him. "Thank you, Aizen-_sama_…"

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"Ah, Abarai! I haven't seen you in a long time. I thought you died!" Those were the first words Captain Soi-Fon said to Renji the moment he walked into the meeting room.

Veins starting to pop up on his forehead, Renji answered in annoyance, "I had a week off, remember? Besides, _you_'re the one who approved it."

"Jeez! No need to get so worked up, Abarai. It was meant as a joke, a joke!"

"Since when do you joke, Captain? By the way, you're doing a really terrible job at it, so don't do it ever again," Renji shot back, expecting a death glare from his hotheaded boss, but instead she just motioned him to take his seat quickly.

Taking an empty space next to Ayasegawa Yumichika, Renji whispered to his colleague, "That's weird. _The queen bee_ seems to be in a bright mood today."

"Yeah, we've got a new lead on the case."

Soi-Fon gave the two men a stern look before she started the meeting.

"As I'm sure all of you are aware, we've finally made some progress on our toughest case so far."

Everyone at the meeting table nodded expectantly, their eyes focused on the petite lady.

"Our team of experts had finished doing facial reconstruction on our first Jane Doe. We've posted her picture on the Internet and the local medias. A woman staying abroad, identifying herself as Kotetsu Isane, called the station, saying the woman in the picture looks like her little sister, Kotetsu Kiyone, who'd been staying in her house over the past year. She admitted to not being able to contact her sister for the last six months."

Renji tapped his forehead with the tip of his pen. "I don't understand, why hasn't she reported her sister missing then?"

"They had a huge fight before Kotetsu Isane left for the States, with the victim accusing her of throwing herself at any foreign man, just so she could get married and moved far away from Japan, so she wouldn't have to care for their crazy father who is currently institutionalized."

"Family conflicts. Always complicating things." Ikkaku mumbled.

"Anyway, she flew to Japan, obtained her sister's medical records, and provided them for our coroner to check upon. It was positive. Though how the victim ended in the house where the body was found is still a mystery."

"Bummer," Yumichika commented.

"What about the second Jane Doe?" Renji asked, eager to find out what he'd missed so far.

"Someone in the neighborhood found a woman's purse in a trash heap, a few blocks away from the alley where the victim was discovered. No cash – some small thugs probably discovered the purse somewhere on the street, emptied it before throwing it into the trash – but luckily, they left behind her ID card as well. Her name was Kasumi Ojii Lurichiyo, the heiress to the massive Kasumi-Ojii clothing line. Her family lawyer visited the morgue to identify her corpse – or what remained of it – and confirmed the piece of clothing she was last seen in matched the piece of fabric we found torn at the crime scene."

"But that's not enough to confirm her identity, isn't it?"

"Well, Ikkaku scoured the area and by some twisted luck, he found a finger, probably been carried away by a rat-"

Yumichika pulled a disgusted face at the memory of the piece of finger Ikkaku had collected. He choked involuntarily, earning an annoyed look from Captain Soi Fon.

"Anyway," the fearless leader continued, "we ran a DNA check on it, and confirmed the identity of Jane Doe number two. It is indeed the body of Kasumi Ojii Lurichiyo."

"_That_'s the good news?" Renji asked, a hint of disappointment in his voice.

"You need to learn to be patient, Abarai. By some odd twist of luck, we've finally cracked a lead on this case, thanks to the hard work of your colleagues; interviewing everyone who appeared to be related to the case, even for a minuscule of amount."

Captain Soi Fon glanced around the table, meeting everyone's expectant eyes. "There was a place where all the victim had been spotted before they met their untimely death."

Renji felt like clapping. That was a big lead; finding the connecting dot among victims. It would be impossible to profile the criminal if they failed to find the connection between victims. So, finding it would mean that they're one stop closer toward catching the cold-blooded murderer.

"So what is it? The connecting dot?" Renji asked, hands gripping the edge of the table, barely able to contain his excitement.

"The victims were reportedly sighted at a popular underground club – _After Dark_."

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Clad in a beautiful silky white dress, an expensive pearl necklace hung around her neck, romantic music playing in the background, along with the delicious and assorted dishes laid out on the table in front of her, she seemed to be living in a fairytale.

A perfect moment.

A perfect life.

A life fit for a princess.

Yes, everything was back to the way it's supposed to be. And she should be happy, but there was something… or rather, _someone_, that she kept thinking about…

She missed him.

_Badly_.

She peered through her lashes at the young gentleman chatting animatedly in front of her. He was explaining to her the uniqueness of the red wine they're having. She was having a hard time following his explanation, but oh, he looked as dashing as usual. He was clad in his best suit. And his eyes were as green as they always were, as captivating as ever…

Still, whenever she looked at him, she could feel that there was something missing… _Love… Why? Why couldn't she love Ulquiorra as she does Ichigo?_

He continued talking about the wine even after dessert was served; this time telling her about the first wine ever produced. Orihime dug into her _tiramisu_ ice cream slowly, trying hard to at least appear interested in his words while at the same time wishing that she could add a healthy dose of _wasabi_ to her ice cream. _Having wasabi-flavored ice cream would be far more interesting than his lengthy explanations on the subject of red wine..._

She sighed – keeping it low so that he wouldn't hear her. Something was not right, she could tell. He was talking too much, as if he was trying to distract himself over something. He was always so calm and composed but tonight, for the first time, he seemed to be a bit flustered. He was nervous, she could tell. _But... about __what_? _What's bothering him?_

"~hime…"

_And why do I keep thinking about Ichigo-kun?"_

"Orihime."

Startled at the sound of her name, the auburn-haired beauty looked up, immediately finding herself gazing directly into a pair of concern emerald eyes. _But tonight, those eyes seemed to be missing their usual spark_…

"Are you okay?"

"Um? O-of course I am! Why are you asking?" she tried to laugh it off, telling herself not to wince at the abnormally high-pitched sound of her voice.

Ulquiorra let his gaze lingered a while longer on her. "It's just that… you seem a bit…_ distant_ tonight…"

"I-I'm not…" she stuttered. "I'm sorry…"

Ulquiorra drew a deep breath. He'd planned this big night especially for them. He wanted to tell her something very important, a nice surprise for her. _But maybe… Maybe tonight's not the right time to tell her_…

_But_…

He grabbed his glass of wine and lifted it up to his lips. Even the wine and the food tasted bland tonight… _What's wrong with me? Ulquiorra Cifer had never been nervous!_

He looked at her through his glass. She seemed to be lost again in her thoughts. He sighed. Her beauty still captivated him every time he saw her. Her eyes were adorably round and so, so _gray_… Her nose was perfectly shaped and cute… Her lips so plump and red, and he remembered how heavenly they felt against his.

_No… I can't lose her!_

"Orihime…"

She looked up at him again, and he felt something painful tugged at his heartstrings. He grabbed his chest, trying to lessen the pain.

"Ulquiorra-kun?" she asked, the concern in his eyes before was now in hers. "Is something wrong?"

He smiled reassuringly at her. "It's nothing… I just have something to tell you…"

"Something to tell me… What is it?"

Ulquiorra cleared his throat. "Remember the reason I said to you, why I wanted to marry you?"

She nodded slowly, "You said it was because you trust-"

"Because I trust you with my life and I would willingly die just to keep you safe," he cut her off. "Then you asked me if I love you."

"And you told me you don't believe in love…"

Ulquiorra stood up and walked slowly to her side. When he reached her, he grabbed her shoulder, turning her body gently to face his direction.

She stared wide-eyed at him. Deep inside her heart, she knew what was about to happen, but she still wished that she would be wrong.

"Wha-"

"Ssshh…" he hushed, touching his finger to her lips. Then, slowly, he knelt down in front of her.

"What are you doing? You're making me nervous…"

"Inoue Orihime… I never knew this would happen. But these few days, I realized that I could have easily lost you… And somehow… somehow, _that_ thought scared me." He looked up to her, and Orihime had never seen something as sincere and heartbreaking. "I can't… I can't lose you…"

Orihime grabbed the hem of her dress, gripping it so tightly that she could feel her knuckles hurt. "Ulquiorra-kun…" _Please… Please don't tell me anything I hope I wouldn't have to know…_

"Inoue Orihime, I love you…"

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"_Inoue Orihime, I love you… I'm in love with you..._"

Orihime lowered her gaze, focusing her wide eyes on her trembling hands, clutched together tightly on her lap. She already made her decision to marry the man in front of her, so why, why wasn't she feeling happy? Her fiancé had just confessed his love for her. _Shouldn't she be experiencing that rush of joy now?_

Ulquiorra tried to ignore the uneasiness forming deep inside his stomach. Her silence was killing him.

"It's okay..." Ulquiorra said slowly, wincing at the slightest hint of pain evident in his voice. "I don't expect you to reciprocate my feeling right away. I'll be waiting until you're ready..."

"But, I-"

"I don't care how long it takes. I'll wait for you..."

Orihime swallowed thickly. _He'd always been kind to me… I don't want to hurt him… But this is too sudden…_

"Ulquiorra-kun... Thank you…"

Ulquiorra felt as if he'd been punched in the gut. He clenched his fists, trying to push away the feeling of rejection. _Thank you? Is that all she's going to say?_

"I-I'm sorry… But I need a favor…"

Ulquiorra forced a weak smile. "Sure... What is it?"

"I don't want you to drive me home. I'll walk. I… I need to clear my mind…"

"Orihime..." Ulquiorra felt his heart sank. _She wants to be alone… Away from me… She doesn't love me… _"Are you sure-"

"Please...?" She touched her trembling fingers to his face, "I've made a promise to you, remember? I'm going to keep it…"

Ulquiorra clenched his fists tighter. "Okay..."

"Thank you..." she flashed a small smile at him and stood up.

"Orihime..." he called out weakly but she was already walking away from him, her head bent, her shoulders sagged. Definitely not the reaction he'd expected from her when he decided to confess he loved her.

_Definitely not_.

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Renji and Yumichika were assigned to do initial checking on the club; to find out if there's anything out of the ordinary about the place, and ask around if they have to.

Ikkaku had protested at first. Being the one who played an important part in identifying the link, he'd been a bit frustrated at first. But Captain Soi Fon explained about the press conference they were going to hold that afternoon, and that she needed him there, Ikkaku protested no more.

When Renji and Yumichika arrived there, they noticed that the club was unusually packed for a Monday night. People chatted animatedly with their companions, their beers and cocktail drinks on their tables. Loud music boomed from the speakers and cigarette smoke filled the air.

Yumichika and Renji fought their way through the dancing crowd. A blue haired man bumped into Renji. The stranger glared at him coldly and walked away through the front door as if nothing happened. Renji gritted his teeth, anger seeping through him. He wanted to chase after that rude man and teach him a thing or two about manners… But he was there for work, he decided finally, and followed Yumichika toward the bar, where a blond bartender waited for them with a wide grin on his face.

"Well, well, well… Isn't this a _nice_ surprise? We rarely get your kind around here," he said as soon as they grabbed their stools and sat.

"What do you mean _our_ kind?" Renji blurted.

The bartender shrugged, "Cops."

Yumichika raised an eyebrow, "You could tell?"

The bartender laughed, "I can smell your kind from miles away, officers."

"Smell us? What are you, some kind of a dog?"

The blond bartender stopped laughing. "Watch what you say, Mr. Smarty-Mouth. Not everyone will get your joke. Especially when you're in unknown territory."

"Oh, is that a threat?"

"Yumichika!" Renji warned his partner. "I'm sorry, but we're here not to cause trouble. We just want to ask you a few questions."

The bartender gave one hard look at Yumichika before focusing his eyes on Renji. "Fire away," he said, the over-friendly grin was now returning to his face.

Renji fished out pictures from his jacket and laid them out on the bar. "Have you seen any of these people here?"

The blond bartender bent over to inspect the picture. He shook his head, "Can't tell. But I don't think I've seen them here."

"You sure?"

"Are you suggesting that I'm lying, officer?"

Renji shrugged. "I don't trust you, that's for sure."

The bartender chuckled, "The feeling's mutual."

Renji looked sternly at the man in front of him, "You better not hiding any important pieces of information from us."

"Look, I'm just here doing my business. I'm never interested in other people's lives. And I never paid any attention to who goes in and out of this place. As long as they keep the money flowing in."

Yumichika glanced around the crowded place. A few customers were looking at them warily, while others just carried on drinking and chatting. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary, but something felt wrong to him. _Very wrong_. "I'm curious, what kind of business do you really do anyway?"

"Well, I'm running a bar. Isn't that obvious?"

"And what kind of customers do you usually get?"

"All kinds. Some were looking for fun. Some looking for a place to forget their problems, and some came here just because they had nothing better to do. But mostly just lost souls trying to find a place that feels closest to home."

"And the closest thing to home is a bar?" Renji snorted.

The bartender gave Renji a hard look, "Sometimes, things aren't the way they seemed to be. You have to learn to see not just with your eyes, but your heart as well, officer Abarai Renji."

Renji gaped. "How did you know m-"

The loud ringing coming from inside his jacket stopped his words. Groaning, he fished out that irritating piece of modern device. His eyes widened with surprise when he saw his sister's name on the screen. He flipped open his phone, "Orihime?"

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"Orihime? Why are you crying?" concern evident in his tone, he began walking away from the two men and eventually exiting the front door.

Yumichika followed Renji's back with his concerned gaze.

"Trouble?" the blond bartender asked.

Yumichika shrugged his shoulder. "No idea. Get me something to drink."

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"Are you okay? Why are you crying?"

"I'm so sorry, Onii-chan… So sorry to disturb you… But I need someone to talk to… and… and…"

Her words ended with more sobs. Renji's brows furrowed even deeper with worries.

"Orihime, what's wrong? What happened?"

"It's nothing… I'm upset because he… Onii-chan, he…"

Again, she ended up sobbing before she even finished her sentences.

"Orihime, just tell me what's wrong, damn it! "

She said nothing.

"Was it Ulquiorra?"

Still no answer. He could only hear her cry.

"Oh, shit! Is it Ichigo?"

Again, there was no reply from her.

"Cause if they dare to hurt you, I swear I'll kill them!"

"No!" Orihime panicked. "They both have done nothing wrong! It's my own fault for being stupid…"

"Where are now?"

"Eh?"

"Are you still outside the restaurant where Ulquiorra's taking you?"

"Yes. Onii-chan, what-"

"Stay right there! I'll come and get you."

"Wait!"

The phone went dead.

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Renji hurried toward Yumichika. He'd ordered a drink, and was keeping a steady eye on the bartender who had started to carry on with his duty.

"Hey, Yumichika?"

He turned around to face Renji, "Yup. What was that call about?"

"It was my sister. She sounded pretty upset and I'm really worried about her."

Yumichika smirked. He'd met Orihime a few times before, and as hard as it was for him to admit it; she was really beautiful, even more beautiful than himself, and he'd known Renji long enough to know that he was extremely protective of her.

"I have to leave now and see her. I don't want anything bad to happen to her."

"Abarai Renji, Brother of the Year!"

"I'm sorry, Yumichika. But I really have to go."

"Just go. I can handle things here. Besides, I've ordered myself a drink and was just getting myself comfortable. So you go ahead and do that brotherly duties of yours."

"You sure? We can still come back here tomorrow, you know? Maybe nothing's going to happen today."

"Renji, I trust my instinct better than yours. I can sense something wrong in the air. Now, go. I'll give you the details at the station tomorrow."

"Okay. Thanks… But remember, if you see anything suspicious, don't do anything rash, okay? Call for backup if necessary."

"Okay, okay."

After giving his partner a light pat on the shoulder, Renji disappeared through the door.

"He's a pretty cold-hearted partner, isn't he?" the bartender commented.

Yumichika chose to simply ignore him.

"Isn't it against the rules to abandon your duty because you received a personal call?"

"It was a pressing matter."

"Shouldn't you like, report this to your superior?"

Yumichika kept his mouth shut, his annoyance toward the bartender growing with each passing minute.

"So I guess the old 'I got your back, you've got mine' shit really is strong among you cops, huh?"

Yumichika glared at the bartender. He was a very suspicious character, and he seemed to be hiding something. But Yumichika Ayasegawa would get the information out from him. He would discover something that will help solve the case. Captain Soi-Fon would be very pleased, and he, for one, would be able to make his colleagues jealous.

He smiled as he imagined their faces.

_Yes, tonight, Ayasegawa Yumichika is going to be a hero._

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Renji and Orihime walked side by side, her arms wrapped around him. They were each holding a cone of ice cream.

"Mama would be so mad if she sees us eating ice creams at this hour," Orihime laughed.

Renji paused in his tracks, faking a panicked look, "You're not gonna tell on me, are you?"

"No, of course not!"

"Can I trust you? When we were kids, you've always ratted on me."

"_Onii-chan_!"

Renji laughed, "I'm kidding."

He'd found her shivering outside the restaurant. She'd stopped crying by then, but he could still see the sadness in her eyes. He scolded himself silently, for not being able to protect her from the harshness of life.

"_Onii-chan…"_

"Hm?"

"Thank you... You didn't have to come…"

"What are you talking about? You're my sister. It's my duty to watch over you. Besided, we haven't eaten ice creams like this for a long time."

Orihime smiled sadly, "Do you think Sora _Onii-chan_ would be as kind to me as you are?"

Renji fell silent. He was still a small boy then, but the memory was clear to him; of the young Inoue Sora… "Yes," he smiled. "He may even be a better brother than me."

"Don't say that. You've done more than enough for me… But _Onii-chan_, from this point on, I'll try not to bother you so much."

Renji raised an eyebrow, smirking, "Oh, so my little sister is all grown-up now?"

"I'll try to be."

"Have you decided about Ulquiorra and Ichigo?"

Orihime nodded slowly, "My decision never changed. I said I'm going to marry Ulquirra-kun, and that's exactly what I'm going to do…"

"Sure? There won't be any regrets?"

"A promise is a promise, _Onii-chan_…"

Smiling proudly, Renji stopped walking and hugged his sister. "I'm proud of you."

Orihime smiled against his chest, grateful for being given such a blessed brother, a blessed family…

"Oh, _Onii-chan_! You're spilling ice cream all over my hair!"

"…"

"You're doing it on purpose! _Onii-chan_!"

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Hours later, away in the Kurosaki mansion, Rukia was stared at the drops of rain falling against the window.

"Is something wrong, Rukia-chan?"

Startled, the petite woman turned around to look at Aizen's mistress.

"It's raining..." she answered quietly, returning her gaze outside the window.

"Yes... It's been raining heavily every night for the past few days..."

"I don't know why... But there's something about this gloomy weather... Something that makes me feels uneasy..."

"I know. Like something bad is going to happen, right?"

"Yes..." Staring straight into Hinamori's eyes through her reflection in the glass, she asked slowly, "Do you feel it too, Hinamori-san?"

The other woman kept quiet, but by the way she hugged herself tight, Rukia knew the answer. _Yes, she feels it too…_

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"Ulquiorra-sama, there's someone at the gate."

His mind still fixated on the event at the restaurant, Ulquiorra was startled when his driver spoke. He turned his gaze at the loyal man who was pointing at something ahead of them. He followed the direction of the man's finger, and saw someone leaning against his gate, someone with bright orange hair. Judging by his soaked clothing, he must have been standing there for a long time.

Ignoring the heavy rain, Ulquiorra stepped out of the car. Just one look at the man before him was enough to bring the pain he'd first felt when he'd caught Orihime kissing him… _Stop it!_

"Ulquiorra Cifer."

"What do you want, Kurosaki Ichigo?"

"I'm challenging you to a duel. Two weeks from now."

"What's the catch?"

"Inoue Orihime. Whoever wins the duel will earn the right to ask for her hand in marriage."

"I've already done that, Kurosaki."

"Then you better make sure you'll win, or she'll end up being mine."

Ulquiorra laughed sarcastically, "You sure you can beat me? I know of your past, Kurosaki. And I know of your inability to transform."

"I'll worry about that. You should prepare yourself."

"Bring it on, Kurosaki."

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	18. ACT XVIII : Secrets

**Author's Note :** Yay! I'm back with another update. Personally, I think this chapter is better than the last one. I'm getting used to writing again, and the ideas flowed easier and faster this time.

For everyone who read and reviewed the last chapter, thank you very much you guys, for your endless support. I'm so happy when I read your reviews. I thought that no one would want to read the story anymore, so I was touched when I read what you guys said.

Hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Have a nice day! :D

**Warning :** Violence, character death (his death was planned earlier, so I couldn't avoid killing him), and there's some heavy adult stuff going on in this chapter (not what you think!).

**Disclaimer :** I don't own Bleach.

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_Tell me, young boy, what is it that you're scared of?_

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"Is this really necessary?" Ichigo asked, annoyed; his veins were popping out and he was sweating vigorously.

A small, hard fist smacked the back of Ichigo's head. He screamed in pain, "Idiot! Why'd you have to do that?"

"You're talking too much. You're the one who asked Urahara-san to help with your training, right? So quit complaining!" the boy who'd hit his forehead spoke smugly.

"I know that, but-"

Another hard smack hit Ichigo's head.

"Be quiet," Ururu spoke coolly. Ichigo cursed under his breath.

"I know I asked him to help train me, but is _this_ really part of the training?" Ichigo asked. For the past hour, he'd been going around the training ground on all four, with the two kids riding behind his back.

"Of course it is! You haven't transform for a long time, so you'll need to practice walking on all four 'cause trust me, it can be weird. And your body's gonna feel a lot heavier than when you're in your human form."

"Jinta-kun's right," Ururu agreed.

Ichigo sighed in defeat, "Why do I feel like that old man's playing with me?"

"My, my, my! How could you accuse such a handsome, innocent man like myself, doing a horrible thing like that?" Urahara appeared through the door, waving his fan in front of him.

Ichigo said nothing, but sent the man a death glare.

Urahara motioned for Jinta and Ururu to get off. Both complied immediately. Ichigo got up, groaning as a sharp pain shot up his back, and dusted off his jeans.

Urahara smirked at the younger man, "Now that you've warmed up enough, Ichigo-kun, it's time for the _real_ training."

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Renji was sitting on Soi Fon's couch; head bent, shoulders sagging. Next to him, Ikkaku and Kira wore the same sad expression.

"This is no doubt a tough time for all of us. But I need you guys to not lose your focus. There's a dangerous killer out there, and he already took one of us. We need to catch this guy, and we need to do it fast," Soi Fon said grimly.

Her words elicit no response from the grieving men.

They'd only received the sudden news ten minutes earlier. A call was made to Captain Soi Fon's office. She immediately called her subordinates in to deliver the devastating news.

Ayasegawa Yumichika was found dead. His lifeless body was discovered a few blocks away from the club he and Renji visited, along with another victim, Shishigawara Moe; chest opened wide but his organs were untouched. The bodies were brought to the morgue. Recognizing him, Hisagi had made an urgent call to Soi Fon.

"This shouldn't have happened," Ikkaku spoke suddenly. "Poor Yumichika."

Everyone stayed quiet.

"It's your fault!" accused Yumichika, pointing his finger at Renji. "None of this would've happened if you didn't leave him alone!"

Renji's fingers curled into fists, his head bent lower. Ikkaku's words stung. He felt as if someone had just stab a dagger straight to his heart.

"Madarame," Soi Fon warned.

"Are you just going to turn a blind eye to what he's done? He's supposed to be on duty, but he left to attend his family matters, making his partner vulnerable to the killer!"

Soi Fon stood up. "That's enough, Madarame. This is nobody's fault. I'll make sure that Abarai will get his punishment for misconduct, but I don't want you guys pointing fingers at each other. We belong to the same team, don't ever forget that."

Ikkaku glared at Renji; hatred visible in his eyes, his fists curled tightly, ready to punch the man he'd accused of causing Yumichika's death. Sensing the steadily rising anger radiating from him, Kira stood up as well.

"Come on, let's leave this room," Kira said, putting his strong hands on Ikkaku's arms as he tried to pull him toward the door.

Ikkaku stay rooted to the floor but Kira kept pulling him harder until he gave in eventually. Kira bowed to his captain and left Soi Fon's office, practically dragging the angry Ikkaku.

On the couch, Renji buried his hands in his hair. Ikkaku was right; Yumichika's death was partially his fault. _How could he have been so stupid?_

"Abarai…" Soi Fon called out emphatically.

"I'm sorry… I'm really sorry…"

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_He is special, had always been special._

_He was born as the strongest in his clan; blessed with strong physique, amazing speed, and an intelligent, sharp mind._

_Yes, he's special, and he believes that he's destined for something great. And he would make a great leader, he's absolutely sure about that._

_But someone had dared took his rightful place. He'd gotten rid of that ungrateful son of a bitch. He'd thought that everything would sail smoothly from that point onward. But some bitch calling herself a Seer, came up with_ that _Prophecy._

_It was during a meeting of the elders, when that fake fortune-teller burst in through the door, disrupting their meeting, claiming that she'd just had a vision. She said that someone else,_ not _him, had been born and would be the strongest amongst them. He would be the one to unite all the werewolves walking on earth and rule them all. No more separate clans, no more wars among brothers._

_And everyone had applauded her. Like mannequins, they agreed blindly to that so-called Prophecy._

_Screw that Seer, screw them all. He is the strongest. He will show them, and they will all be crawling, begging to appoint him as their leader. If anyone refuses to acknowledge his power, he will _make_ them do so, by force._

_Not one to give up easily, he sought help from a wizard. A dark wizard. It turned out that the evil man's more than eager to help._

"_I demand you to tell me ways to make myself stronger," he'd told that wizard._

_The other man just laughed, "I always knew that you'd come back here."_

_He glared at him. A sudden urge to punch his badly painted face came suddenly. But that man knew too much of his secrets, so he didn't want to piss him off. Besides, he may be helpful in the future._

"_Tell me. Now!" he demanded again. "Kurotsuchi Mayuri!"_

_Mayuri smirked, "It's easy. Kill. You have to kill living humans, and then feed on their still-beating hearts. Their life force is bound to make you stronger, more powerful."_

"_Are you telling me the truth?"_

"_Of course. I'm doing the same thing, and it makes my spiritual power the strongest among the wizards."_

_That, had been the beginning of everything…_

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_His very first killing had begun many years ago._

_It was a young human; beautiful as a goddess, the daughter of a farmer. He raped her first, he couldn't help it, and then he ended her life. And he cried after he did it._

_He'd always loved running along the wheat field, because it's wide so he could run freely. And that was how he saw her._

_The field belonged to a hardworking farmer. He had three sons, and one daughter. They'd worked hard during the day, and at night, the rested at their small hut not far away from the field._

_One night, while he was running, she came out to light the lantern. The fire had been blown out by the strong wind. And he'd watched, hiding in the silent darkness. He was captivated by her beauty; luscious golden hair, milky white skin that seemed to glow against the darkness around her, with sexy, curvy figure. She didn't look at all like a daughter of a commoner. She looked more like a princess._

_And he'd fallen in love. As crazy as _that_ may seem, he did fall in love with her._

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_On that fateful night, as he lied down on the field, tired of running; his naked body glistening with sweat, he'd heard someone walking toward him. He got up and peered at the direction of the sound. _

_There she was, pretty as ever. She was searching for something, probably her cat, and she was calling its name again and again. He turned around, thinking that if he left quietly she wouldn't notice his presence. But then, Mayuri's voice came ringing inside his head. _Kill_. Kill, he'd said. _He'd have to kill if he wants to be strong.

_With one swift motion, he leaped forward._

_The girl screamed, but he cupped her mouth, stifling the sound. She stared with eyes full of terror at him; her body pinned hard to the ground._

_She wriggled beneath him, but he was too strong with her. Worse, her movements had turned him on. He stared down at her with lustful eyes. Looking at her as closely as he was, he could see she's even prettier._

_He bit his lower lip. _He's going to kill her after all, so why not rape her as well?

_With one hand still holding over her mouth, he used the other hand to grab the front of her dress. She must have sensed what was coming because she started crying as soon as he did that, begging silently with those pretty eyes of hers. He steeled himself, and ripped her dress._

_He smirked. She's looking just as beautiful without anything on. She was perfect; milky white skin, perfectly round, perk breasts, flat stomach, slender waist, and with round, tight ass. He swallowed thickly, as he felt his manhood rising._

"_No… Please…" she mumbled against his hand, but he ignored her. He went on to rip her panty instead._

_He would never forget the sight greeting him when he finally stripped off completely. Like the rest of her physical features, she was absolutely perfect down there. He started rubbing her. She was clean-shaven, and the pinkness of her vagina made him lose control._

_Forcefully, he rammed his erected penis into her._

_He moved vigorously, paying absolutely no attention to her muffled screams. She was in pain, he knew, because she was bleeding a lot; a virgin. Still, he plunged even harder, and harder, until that wave of pleasure overcame him and he released inside her._

_He collapsed on top of her. She was crying silently, her tears felt warm against his bare skin. He lifted his hand, but she made no effort to scream this time. She was spent, powerless against him._

_What are you waiting for?_

There's that voice again, talking inside his head.

_Kill her._

_He lifted his head and stared down at her. Then slowly, with his hard body still pinning the innocent girl to the ground, he began his transformation. Beneath him, she watched with bloodshot eyes. She could only whimper, for the transformation she's witnessing was too shocking. It was a stuff made of nightmare, stuff that no one would even think would happen in real world._

_The large creature gave the girl one last look. _Pity_, he thought, _I have to kill such a beautiful being_. Despite that, he proceeded to rip open her chest. With his long, sharp nails, it was too easy. The poor thing didn't even have the chance to scream._

_He watched in fascination; the still-beating heart inside her ribcage, the blood soaking the ground beneath their bodies, and the choking sound she made as she gasped for breath. Growling, he tore away her ribcage and snatched the heart with his large mouth._

_As he sat in the field, feeding on her heart, he marveled at how easy it was for him to kill a being. And he loved it. He loved the feeling of euphoria he experienced when he ended someone's life, the thrill and expectation before the killing, and then, the satisfaction tingling in his veins as he watched his victim's life fading away._

_And now, he'd become addicted to murder. He'd killed countless victims, but none of them, _none_ at all, gave him that same euphoric sensation he'd felt when he killed her, that unlucky, innocent girl._

_As the old saying goes; you'll always remember your firsts, he'd always remember the event of that night, vividly, as if it had just happened yesterday._

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_In a past, he'd only kill one or two victims in the period of a year. But now, the urge to kill had gotten stronger, and he'd murdered more and more frequently._

_He'd discovered the club a few years ago, and found out that it will be the perfect spot for him to look for his potential victims. Most people coming to _After Dark_ were lost souls anyway. But he didn't kill just anyone, he's not stupid. His victims were usually young, healthy, full of life force, so that when he feeds on them, it'd give him energy and strength._

_He'd prey on them, watching from a dark, secluded corner in the club, his face covered under his hood. He'd follow them, waited for the perfect moment, and attacked when the time's right. He never killed at the same place, because the cops would surely notice the pattern if he followed the same modus operandi over and over again. So, he made his killings seemed random, and he made sure his identity was perfectly covered. And he did a good job doing so. He watched the news and knew that the police were looking for a ruthless killer. The dead bodies kept piling up and the local authority was having a hard time handling the case._

_Yes, he'd managed to cover his tracks, at least until last night. Damn that cop! He'd targeted another victim; a young, nerdy man who'd been drinking non-stop since he'd entered the place. That pitiful kid even sported a Mohawk, as if that would lead people to think of him as a tough guy. But he's not one to be fooled. He could smell a loser from miles away._

_So when that man, intoxicated, limping away from the club, he followed behind. As his prey stopped to pee, he began transforming, and while he was zipping up his jeans, he pounced on him. However, right as he started to rip his victim apart, the cop appeared, pointing his gun forward._

"_Get off him!" he'd screamed._

_He tilted his head, annoyed that someone had interrupted his dinner, and noticed that the hand holding the gun was trembling, _badly_. That idiot even held his badge in front of him. _Doesn't he know that the badge holds no meaning to the werewolves? _Knowing that weak-looking policeman possessed no threats at all toward him, he leaped forward and began attacking. Startled, the policeman fired a shot at him. He moved aside swiftly, managed to avoid the bullet successfully, and knocked the man with his large, furry body._

_But, unlike the rest of his victims, that man didn't even plead to be spared his life. He stared bravely as he killed him, and he didn't even scream in pain. And when he'd done the deed, he'd lost his appetite. He left the dead bodies and walk away from the scene. He'd probably regret it later, leaving his food just like that, but right then, he didn't care._

_After all, for a natural born killer like him, killing was just too easy to do._

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Later that day, the bartender for After Dark was brought in to the station for interview.

He sat in the interrogation room, staring calmly at the two cops opposite from him. Kira was sitting at the other of the table, while Renji leaned against the wall, his arms crossed. He was keeping a watchful eye on the mysterious blond man.

"Can you please tell us your name, Sir?" Kira began the interrogation.

"Hirako Shinji."

"Are you aware that the club you're warning is the only link to the murders that had happened in this town recently?"

Shinji shook his head.

"And last night, two dead bodies were found not far away from the club. One of them is, _was_ a cop, who'd been there with his partner."

"Yeah, that one I remember. You cops are not easy to forget." Then, he nodded at Renji, "Hey, buddy. Nice to see you again."

Renji didn't respond to the gesture.

"Tell me, what kind of business are you running? Are you somehow involved with the murders?"

"I run a clean business. And I'm not involved with any killings whatsoever."

"Then have you noticed anyone suspicious who'd always appeared at the club when those killings took place?"

"Nope. I don't pay attention to things that doesn't concern me."

Renji moved forward. With his hands gripping the table, he bent his head forward, glaring hatefully into Shinji's eyes. "You! Tell the truth! Quit playing with us!"

"Abarai-"

"Well, maybe if you hadn't left him alone last night, he would still be alive."

And that broke Renji's control. He stepped forward and grabbed Shinji's collar. Then, he slammed the other man's head into the wall. Shinji groaned in pain. He touched his head. It was bleeding.

"Abarai!"

Ikkaku, who'd been watching from the other room, rushed inside. He grabbed Shinji and dragged him out of the room. Before they disappeared through the door, he pointed his finger at Renji. "You'll regret this," he said.

"Are you threatening a cop? Huh?" Renji taunted, but the door was already closed.

Then, cursing, Renji lifted a chair and threw it against the closed door.

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_01:00 A.M._

_GRIMMJOW'S APARTMENT_

The teal-haired man stared emptily at the muted television in front of him, a half-smoked cigarette was held between his fingers. His mind was wondering elsewhere. He was recalling the meeting he had yesterday.

"_Well, isn't this the infamous Hirako Shinji?" he spoke as he sat on one of the stools at the bar._

_The man turned around. When he saw Grimmjow, he smirked, "Guilty as charged. May I know who's asking?"_

"_Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez."_

"_Aren't you one of Aizen's minions?"_

"_I was."_

"_Banished from the pack, huh? Who'd ya kill?"_

"_No one."_

"_No one? That's new."_

"_Yeah, beats me."_

_Shinji poured Grimmjow a glass of beer, "I think you came here with a purpose. So what is it that you wanted to ask me?"_

"_I want to know about The Fallen."_

_Shinji raised a questioning eyebrow._

"_It's rumored that you're the leader of The Fallen."_

"_Really? Then, I am."_

_Grimmjow felt a spark of annoyance, but he pushed it away. "But you were nothing like what I've heard."_

"_Disappointed, huh? I can be pretty dangerous when I'm not tending the bar."_

"_You know what the legend said. That once you've turned into The Fallen, you're nothing but a wild, mindless beast."_

_Shinji took out a rag and started wiping the bar, "The legend is true. I'm like this because I've been healed."_

"_Healed? What do you mean?"_

"_A few days after I was banished from the pack, I wandered in the jungle. I was lost and hungry. I couldn't even revert to my human form. I was cursed, cursed for breaking the sacred rule. I ate a few animals, but still, I'm hungry. To make things worse, I keep thinking of the sweet taste of human blood. I was making my way toward a nearby village, when someone stop me in my tracks."_

"_Who was it?"_

"_A wizard. His name's Kurotsuchi Mayuri."_

"_A wizard?"_

_Shinji nodded, "He offered me a potion. I opened my mouth and he poured it down my throat. It made me drowsy, and I fell asleep right away. When I woke up the next morning, I'm in my human form again. Nothing changed. I wasn't even hurt. It turned out that he'd even helped a few people like me. He still does."_

"_No side effects?"_

"_None," Shinji stated firmly. "After that point of time, I continued to help the others who'd suffered the same fate as me."_

"_Is that why your hideout is in such an unglamorous place, like a club?"_

_Shinji let out a small laugh, "People let their guards down around here. And they were always talking. I found out that it's easier to track people, and I get news faster by running this club."_

"_So, what did you do?"_

"_Me? I killed a man. He'd caught me killing one of his cows. He had a shotgun in his hand. It's pretty much a 'kill or be killed' situation for me. So I killed him before he had the chance to shoot me. But when I see the tempting red liquid oozing from his wounds, I couldn't fight it. I drank his blood."_

"_That's why they banished you."_

"_It wasn't _they_. It was Kurosaki Isshin."_

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_01:00 A.M._

_THE KUROSAKI GROUP OF COMPANIES HEADQUARTERS_

The silver-haired man concentrated on the monitor in front of him. The file was uploading. He waited impatiently for the copying to be complete, drumming his fingers on the desk. The room was completely dark, and the only source of lighting was the bright light glaring from the monitor. His eyes had started to hurt.

After what seemed like five, long, agonizing minutes, the uploading finished. He ejected the thumb drive, and then put it carefully inside his pocket. He glanced around, making sure that he'd cleaned everything. Then, he deleted a file on the desktop. It was a file labeled 'Kurosaki Isshin'. When he'd done emptying the Recycle Bin, he shut down the computer.

With his hand buried inside his pocket, holding the thumb drive to make sure he wouldn't lose it, he tiptoed to the door. Satisfied that no one's seeing him, he slipped out of the door quietly.

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_01:30 A.M._

_KUROSAKI FAMILY MANSION_

"What's with the gloomy face, Kuchiki-san?"

Startled, the petite woman turned, and found herself looking into Aizen's deep, brown eyes. "Nothing…" she answered.

"Are you worried about Ichigo? He's not just a small boy anymore, you know."

Rukia sighed heavily, "I know. But I don't like the fact that he's leaving without saying anything at all."

"He went training, Kuchiki-san. So, there's no need to worry about him. Nothing bad will happen to him."

"I hope so."

"Get some rest, Kuch-"

Rukia, noticing Aizen's abrupt silence, looked over in concern at the older man. "What is it? Is there something wrong, Aizen-sama?"

"I thought I saw something, down there by the road. But who in their right mind would walk outside, under a heavy rain like this."

Rukia peered at the direction Aizen mentioned. Then, she saw him, walking slowly with his head bent.

She dashed down the stair.

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_01:30 A.M._

_URAHARA'S TRAINING GROUND_

Ichigo panted, his hands gripping his knees. Before him, a large, white-yellowish colored wolf prowled on its feet.

They'd been training non-stop. Ichigo had cuts all over his body. Urahara just kept attacking him at every chance he got. He'd managed to evade the fatal ones successfully. But he was starting to get tired. He felt as if his knees were going to buckle under him anytime soon.

He wanted to quit. After he undergone the endless hours of agony, he still haven't managed to transform. But he'd put something much more important than his own life on the line. He'd try his hardest to regain his wolf form, so he can claim what should have been his since the beginning.

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"Renji!"

The man kept walking, as if he hadn't heard her.

"Renji!" she shouted again.

This time, he heard her. Slowly, he turned around. The sight of him almost broke her head. He looked so lost, so sad, so _defeated_, and even though it's raining heavily, she could tell he'd been crying.

"Rukia…"

She ran toward him. When she reached his side, she tried hard to keep the umbrella above his head, but it was almost impossible because he was so much taller than her.

"What are you thinking, letting yourself soaked, walking under the rain like this? What if you catch a cold?"

"Am I a bad person?"

"What?"

"Right now, I feel like I'm a horrible, useless person."

"Renji… What happened?"

But he just stared at her, tears now starting to well in his eyes. Then, he hugged her, their bodies vibrating from his uncontrollable sobs. She let go of the umbrella, and hugged him back. She caressed the back of his head lovingly, to let him know that she's there for him.

Unknown to them, a pair of eyes were watching from up the mansion.

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_02:00 A.M._

_ULQUIORRA'S HOUSE_

The pale man wiped his sweat off his bare upper-body. He'd been training for hours. Though he'd always thought of Ichigo as someone weak, he wouldn't take his chance. Especially when the stake is very high.

He won't lose Orihime to anyone. No matter what it takes, he'll win the fight, and win her.

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_The killer smiled in the darkness of his room._

_Yes, just like he'd gotten rid of Kurosaki Isshin, he will get rid of his son too._

_Kurosaki Ichigo, you're dead…_

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	19. ACT XIX : Revelation

**Author's Note :** I'm finally back! There is too much stuff going on in my life *sigh*. I fell in love, got married last year, and now I'm pregnant! Much like Orihime and Ichigo, I used to love my husband secretly, without him really knowing how I felt about him. But Fate is on our side and we got married, so I hope IchiHime will have the same ending as well.. hehe.. Hopefully I'll be able to finish this story before I give birth. I've not written anything for a long time, so I hope I manage to deliver a satisfactory chapter this time. We're getting closer to the truth in this story, so I hope you guys will continue reading till the end.

**Disclaimer :** I don't own Bleach.

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With hands laced together at the back, Kuchiki Rukia walked the dark, deserted street. Her mouth set to a deep scowl, and she was lost in thoughts. Ichigo had been avoiding her, refused to even talk to her for the last few days, and now, he was nowhere to be found. She worried about him. He was her best friend.

She kicked the pebbles lying on the ground. The largest one bounced off the road and clanged against an old mailbox. Rukia squinted and felt a sense of satisfaction at the small dent the little rock had caused. She was about to kick another group of pebbles when her cellphone rang.

She ignored the sound, and kept on walking instead, completely forgetting her previous intention in making another dent on the mailbox. The ringing stopped, but then started again.

"Stop calling. I won't answer," she muttered.

As if that person had heard her, the ringing ceased. She waited for a few seconds for it to start ringing again, but it did not. Satisfied, she started walking, but after a few steps, the phone vibrated in her pocket and began to ring. Rukia felt like screaming. _Some people are just stubbornly, annoyingly persistent._

She took out the phone. Her steps halted when she read the name displayed on the screen.

_Inoue Orihime_.

"_I love her, so you stay out of it!" Ichigo had shouted to her. Then, he pointed a finger, "If you ever do anything that could harm her, I will never forgive you."_

Rukia sighed and pressed the "Answer" button. "Inoue! I'm s-"

"Rukia-chan!" Orihime's panicked voice boomed through the device.

"Yes, what is it?" Rukia asked, alarmed.

"I can't find Onii-chan!"

"What do you mean you can't find him?"

"Last night he returned home, soaked wet. He was obviously upset over his partner's death. This morning, he left home early. And he hasn't come back home until now."

Rukia remembered how upset Renji had been last night, "What happened?"

"I don't know. He just left without telling any of us anything, _not even Mama_."

"And he hasn't been back since then?"

"Yes. It's now very late and he hasn't returned home. I've called him a few times but he didn't answer it. I'm worried, Rukia-chan…"

"Have you tried calling his friends, his workplace, or his boss?"

"I did, but none of them had seen him since this morning."

They fell silent. After a while, Orihime's pleading voice was heard, "Rukia-chan… Will you help me?"

_No_.

"Will you help me find Renji Onii-chan…?"

_Never involve yourselves with the affairs of the mortal ones, Aizen-sama told us…_

"He adored you, so I'm sure he'll listen to you, no matter what state he's in… I mean, you help comfort him last night…"

That brought a little smile on Rukia's face.

"Please find him and ask him to come back home…"

Rukia said nothing.

"And Rukia-chan… Ichigo-kun, he loves you... He always told me what a strong person you are, Rukia-chan. He was always looking up to you, that he somehow regarded you not as just his best friend, but also his mentor."

Rukia fought back her tears. She'd hurt Ichigo. She, of all people, should have known how much Orihime meant to him. She should have supported him, but instead, she betrayed him.

"Thank you, Inoue…"

"I like you too, Rukia-chan…"

"Yeah, me too…"

"So you'll help me find Onii-chan?"

"Yes… And, Inoue… I'm sorry…"

"Don't worry, I understand… I'm sure Ichigo-kun does too…"

As soon as Orihime hung up, Rukia started to cry.

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She had been looking for him for almost an hour. He was nowhere to be found, so she decided to head home and think about all the places he might be at.

But to her surprise, he was already there, outside her house, standing alone in the rain.

"Renji!"

He glanced up at her, and tried to smile. _Deja-vu_ flooded all over her. Last night, she'd found him like that too…

"Where were you?" he asked. "I've waited for you for almost an hour".

"I was looking for you, you idiot! You're family's worried sick about you!"

Rukia expected him to retort, but he kept silence. She sighed.

"You'll get sick if you keep standing like this. You know I can't invite you in, so I'll go and grab an umbrella."

Renji nodded weakly, so she slipped inside the house and came back with an opened umbrella to where he was standing. She stood on her toes to keep the umbrella above their head. They stood that way for a while, both said nothing.

Finally, it was Renji who spoke. "Rukia…"

She looked up at him, and her heart started to beat faster. He was so handsome, so perfect in her eyes.

"Rukia."

She blinked. "Hm?"

"Thank you…"

She let out a nervous laugh, "What for?"

"Your presence makes me calm. You always do."

Heat spread through her body, "Thank you…"

Renji lifted up his hands and placed them on top of hers. His hands were cold but Rukia could swear that through them she felt warmth. Renji bent his head slightly so they were now looking at each other. Eyes to eyes.

"When I went home last night, I couldn't sleep at all. I keep seeing Yumichika getting killed. Before he died, he looked at me accusingly. If I didn't leave him there, he'd still be alive."

"Shh. Don't say such nonsense. Don't blame yourself for what happened in the past."

Renji fell silent, trying to calm himself. Then, he asked, "The one who's killed all those people including my partner, you know it's one of _your_ _kind_, right?"

Rukia nodded. "I suspected so, but-"

Renji tightened his grip on her hands, "Will you help me find him, Rukia?"

She simply stared at him, her eyes wide with surprise. Then slowly, she nodded.

"Even if it means you'll betray your own kind for me? Risk your life in order to help me?"

"Yes, Renji…"

"You won't ever regret it?"

She smiled, "Of course I won't… You know I'm willing to do anything for you."

He smiled back at her, only his was a sad one. "And I too…"

"Renji…"

He bent even further, and landed a soft, firm kiss on her lips. She let go of the umbrella and grab his head, pulling him closer, and kissed him back.

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_Aizen had looked at each of them in the eyes as he recited the rules that their clan members must follow. She was just a little girl then, but she still remembered how Aizen cold stare had made her trembled. She stood in the crowd, looking up at the powerful man standing up on the altar._

_**One.**_

_**None of us shall ever feast on the humans, unless it's the one we brought out on the night of The Hunting.**_

_**Two.**_

_**Never involve yourselves with the affairs of the mortal ones.**_

_**Three.**_

_**Never betray this bond of blood.**_

_And, for once in her life, she was going to break the rules._

_All for him._

_All for the person she loves the most._

_Abarai Renji._

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As he made his way to the famous Kurotsuchi Mayuri's secret lair, Grimmjow fiddled with the necklace Hirako Shinji instructed him to wear. He refused to wear them at first, as it looked suspiciously silver. But Shinji opened the front of his shirt to reveal he's wearing one as well, so reluctantly Grimmjow took the necklace and slipped it through his head.

"What is it for?" he'd asked.

Shinji shrugged, "Just something Kurotsuchi invented for us, The Fallen. Somehow by wearing them, we managed to curb the lust to kill and feast on humans. Besides, it seemed to help masking our powers, hiding our existence from the other wolves."

"Wow. Life must have been tough on you guys."

Shinji smirked, "Don't forget that you're one of us now, Grimmjow. Sooner or later you'll have to grow accustom to live as an outcast. Feared by the humans, yet unaccepted, despised by the werewolves. We don't belong anywhere…"

"Tch. You losers can sit here and mourn your fate, but I sure as hell won't do that. I'm going to see this Kurotsuchi guy and ask for his help to get me out of all this." Then, smirking, Grimmjow added, "All this years of hiding sure turned you guys into cowards. I've heard all sorts of story about how you guys are to be feared, but really, you're nothing."

"We're just trying to live wisely, Grimmjow. Sometimes, wisdom is much more valuable than blind courage."

"Whatever," Grimmjow shrugged and began walking away. He was going to find that so-called most powerful wizard, Kurotsuchi Mayuri and ask for his help.

When he reached the wizard's residence, he was disappointed to see that there was nothing mysterious at all about it, and it was nothing you could call a secret lair, for the place resembled a large science lab. It was painted all white and stood proud among the trees.

"I thought he would be living inside a _cave_," Grimmjow muttered to himself.

There seemed to be no one standing guard so he walked straight to the front door and tried to push. To his surprise, it creaked open. The place's lacking of security was a bit suspicious to him. But despite that, he went in.

The place was strangely deserted. He tried every door he passed but all of them were locked. He wanted to peek inside the rooms but there were no windows to look through. Whatever that crazy wizard's doing here, he made sure that it was top secret. So he kept walking until he reached a door with the word "OFFICE" on it. He pushed and it opened.

"Hm?" he wondered and walked in.

Like the rest of the walls inside and outside the building, the office was also painted white. Not only that, there was also a white desk that stood at the end of the room. Various computers and bookcases also filled the space. Far at the edge of the room, a cloaked figure stood with his back to Grimmjow.

Grimmjow stepped closer. "Kurotsuchi Mayuri?"

The figure stood unmoved. Grimmjow was about to call again when the mysterious person slowly turned, revealing a familiar face.

"_You_!"

The cloaked man simply lifted his hands in a mocking manner, "Surprise?"

"What are _you_ doing here?"

"Well, I'm visiting an old friend. There are a few, err.. _urgent matters_ I must discuss with him. When I called him to arrange a meeting today, he told me that someone informed him about a fallen wolf intending to meet him."

Grimmjow made a face.

"So I waited for you to come, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez."

"Funny. Hirako Shinji failed to mention this _friendship thing_ between you and Kurotsuchi Mayuri."

The other man chuckled. "We prefer to keep this relationship discreet."

"I should've known that you are never to be trusted." Grimmjow walked closer, "Are you plotting something bad with Kurotsuchi?"

"Now, why would I do something like that? All this while, we've done nothing but provide help and shelter for those fallen wolves."

Grimmjow shook his head, "I don't believe you."

The cloaked figure moved toward Grimmjow. They were now standing eye to eye. Grimmjow noticed his bloodshot eyes. Involuntarily, the teal-haired man took one step backward.

"It takes a rotten man to know one," the cloaked man admitted, laughing. "If everyone else was as smart as you, I would've got caught a _looong_ time ago."

"What do you mean? Wait a minute, those killings, did you do it?"

The questioned man clapped, "Congratulations, Mr. Grimmjow. You would have made a fine detective."

"But, why?"

"Our ancestors didn't forbid us to kill humans for nothing, Grimmjow. Once you do it, the thirst, the desire to repeat the action is unbearable, uncontainable."

Grimmjow kept silent.

"My first killing was by accident. I've had encouragement, and I have motivation to kill, but it wasn't planned at all. When she died, I was so scared at first, and I want to get away from there as fast as I could. But when I saw the body lied across me, defenseless, I was tempted to do something more, something the brilliant wizard advised me to do." The man began grinning, lost in memory as he moved his hand slowly, reliving his past action. "I ripped open her chest, took out her barely beating heart, and ate it."

The man licked his fingers, "I still remember the taste of blood. Oh, how I feasted upon her that day… I never knew that I was _that_ hungry."

"You're sick."

"Maybe I am. Ever since that day, I began to kill more and more. My lust to kill grows every day. I just had to do it, or I will become restless."

"You're sick," Grimmjow repeated, eyeing the man before him with pure disgust. "You're a disgrace to our kind."

The man smiled in return, "Let me tell you a secret… When I feasted on those humans, it gave me strength… _Enormous strength_. Eating those small animals like we usually did made us weak, but eating human flesh has the opposite effect."

"Why resort to something that extreme? Aren't you strong enough?"

"Grimmjow, there is still room for my power to grow. I want to get stronger, so I can be the one who shall rule all the clans. Unity among the werewolves is what I want to achieve. I want their loyalty. I want the werewolves to serve only me."

"You have no royal blood. The other clans won't accept you so easily."

"That's why I'll claim leadership by force. If I become powerful enough, more powerful than the princes, the pack leaders, I can defeat them and take control of every existing clan."

"How are you ever going to defeat them? Legend said that those werewolves with royal blood in them were born with the strength of a hundred common werewolves. How are you going to top that? You're just a common werewolf."

The man chuckled again. "Maybe I praised you too soon earlier, Grimmjow. This is where The Fallen comes in. They are helping me become more powerful."

"How?"

"I explained that by consuming human flesh, it made me stronger. So imagine the power I'll have inside me if I feast on the werewolves as well? Kurotsuchi-san had been so kind to provide shelter for those poor fallen wolves while at the same time endlessly supplying me with dessert. He promised he'd help them control their raging lust to kill, and then, find a place to stay where they could live normally among the humans, when in the truth, he sends them to me."

"You _what_? You bastard! You mean you've killed some of the fallen wolves? You're intending to fucking kill all of them?"

The man laughter grew louder, echoing through the room. Angered, Grimmjow launched forward to attack the cloaked man, but to his surprise, his feet remained stuck on the floor.

"What the hell?" He groaned, trying to pull his leg but it seemed to have weighed a ton.

"Is this-?"

"_Petrification_."

"But only the royal descendants can use such a high level of power."

"Well, that means I'm as powerful as one, isn't it?"

"This is not supposed to work on werewolves as on humans!" Grimmjow grunted, struggling to move every inch of his body, but failed.

The mysterious man inched closer, their nose were almost touching now. Slowly, he reached out and grabbed the necklace Grimmjow was wearing.

"Do you know what this necklace is made of, Grimmjow?"

"What?"

"This necklace is made with silver, infused a little bit with white gold. The gold seemed to disguise the damning effect silver has on all of us. By wearing this necklace, it weakened a werewolf's power, but not enough to kill him, unlike silver. That effect, of course, made you more vulnerable to my power. But, your resistance is admirable. Most common wolves won't be able to move even their tongue."

"Damn that Shinji."

"Oh. You shouldn't be mad of him. You know he only tried to help. They were all, sadly, tricked by us. Hirako-san was blinded by the pretense of kindness that Kurotsuchi-san offered. He believed that he's helping all those fallen werewolves but in truth, he's sending them to their deaths. That poor man even offered his help to find all lost, unwanted werewolves."

He laughed again. Grimmjow spat on his face but he just wiped it with his hand, still laughing.

"You'll pay for all this! Hirako Shinji will find out! He's no fool!"

"I welcome that very day, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez. I do."

"I will KILL you!"

Laughing, the man answered, "So, to be sure you won't try to do _that_ too soon, I'll lock you up with the rest of my delicious desserts."

"Damn you!"

"Just consider yourself contributing in my holy goal of uniting all the werewolves in the world."

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When Renji returned home, with Rukia by his side, they were shocked to see the door left ajar. Inside, the sound of a woman crying was heard.

They rushed in, and were shocked to see Rangiku, hands propped on the dining table, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Mama?" Renji blurted.

"Renji?" she asked, and looked up. Then, she began waving her hands frantically, beckoning him to get closer. "Oh, Renji! Renji, my boy!"

"Mama, what's wrong? What happened?"

She hugged him, crying against his chest. "Oh, it's all my fault. I've done something bad before and now I repeat the same thing."

"Mama, I don't understand what you're saying!" Then, pushing her slightly away from him, he asked, "Where's Orihime?"

Rangiku's sobbing grew louder. "It's my fault, Renji…"

"Mama, stop crying and tell me what happened!"

"He took her… He took Orihime…"

"Who?"

"Gin… I should have known better than to trust him again… I shouldn't have let him come into the house. He came here and grabbed her. I tried to fight him but he was too strong…"

Renji glanced down and winced when he saw the red bruises on Rangiku's arms. "Who's Gin? Why'd you let him in at a time like this? It's already past midnight."

"Excuse me, Matsumoto-san, do you mean _Ichimaru Gin_?"

Renji gaped at Rukia, startled, then turned back to face his mother, "Who is Ichimaru Gin?"

Rangiku wiped away her tears, she'd calmed down a bit. "He and I used to be lovers, but then, when Inoue Sora died, I knew it was his doing, so I left him. A few weeks ago, we met accidentally, and it was as if I've been put under a spell. We started to see each other again…"

"You cheated on me, Rangiku," Hisagi Shuuhei spoke all of a sudden. He'd been standing at the corner, observing the situation without saying a word.

Rangiku turned to him, "I'm sorry, Shuuhei… But he's the only man I've ever loved. My marriage to Renji's father was not based on love. And you, I do love you, but I could never love you as much as I love him…"

"After all I've done for you, now you tell me this?"

"I'm really sorry…"

With one single glance at the woman he loved, Hisagi Shuuhei stormed out. Renji called out to him but he didn't turn around. Renji sighed, making a mental note to apologize to the man once he's cooled down.

Renji plopped next to Rangiku. Rukia immediately followed suit. After a while, the older woman began telling her story.

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_She'd met that man, Ichimaru Gin, before her husband died. They fell in love, and began to see each other secretly. Refusing to divorce her dying husband, they continued their forbidden relationship for almost a year. He seemed to be fond of Renji, so Rangiku was more than willing to start a family with him. However, when old man Abarai died, she waited for Gin to pop the question, but he never did ask for her hand in marriage._

_Still, they were very much in love, at least, until Inoue Sora arrived with his little sister. Rangiku explained that she helped Sora because she felt sorry for his baby sister, but it wasn't enough to convince Gin. He disliked the fact that another man lived with her._

_However, when Sora's dead body was discovered, she'd never suspected Gin to be the culprit. Later that night, after the cops were done processing the crime scene, and the children safely tucked to bed, she sneaked out of the house. Gin was waiting for her, with his back against the car, one hand inside his pocket while the other holding his cigarette._

"_It's horrible," she began. "Sora Inoue was found dead."_

_Without saying anything, he smirked._

_Rangiku hugged her body tightly, "The police interviewed us, they've just left my house. Poor Renji must've been shocked. And there's little Orihime…"_

_Gin exhaled. For a few seconds, a thin cloud of smoke danced around them before disappearing into thin air. Rangiku eyed him, suddenly feeling a bit annoyed._

"_Are you even listening to me?"_

"_What do you want me to say? That he had it coming?"_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_Chill, Rangiku. I'm just saying."_

_When she first saw the wounds on Sora's body, she'd suspected something. But she refused to believe…_

_Fear overcame her. Her shaky fingers gripped the edge of her blouse, as if that would help to calm her down. He'd been honest about his identity. But she'd promised that it wouldn't matter to her. She told him that she loved him, no matter what. "Gin…"_

"_What?"_

"_W-was it you? Sora's body… there's no way a human could do that."_

_Gin stared at her. She took a step back. Those eyes that used to look at her with love, now filled with something else. Craziness._

"_I know what you are, Gin. Only your kind can do something as horrible as that. I knew it. When I saw the wounds, I knew!"_

_Gin laughed. "So what if I did it? You're gonna call the cops to arrest a werewolf? They won't believe you. Even worse, they would think that you have gone bananas."_

"_You jerk! Why'd you kill him? He's never done anything to hurt you!"_

_Gin shrugged, "I simply dislike his presence."_

_Rangiku lifted her hands and began hitting him while he simply stood there, laughing._

"_You jerk! You monster! Get away from here! I never want to see you! Never!"_

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"…and afterward, I never hear from him again."

"Then, how come he showed up here again after all these years?"

Rangiku turned to face Rukia, "Sadly, Rukia-chan, love makes you do all kinds of stupid things…"

"But…"

"We met again, and as unbelievable as it may seem, I fell in love with him again. We began meeting secretly again, and I've invited him to the house a few times. But I never thought that he… that he would take Orihime away…"

Renji stood up abruptly. He began heading for the door.

"Renji! Where are you going?" Rukia asked, standing up as well.

"I'll find Orihime."

Rukia hesitated, then bowed awkwardly at Rangiku and began to follow him.

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_Whenever she smiles, he feels warm all over._

_Whenever she laughs, it sounds like music to his ears._

_Whenever she talks, he can listen for hours._

_Whenever she touches him, he wishes she would never let go._

The man, lying naked on the ground, closed his eyes.

"Orihime…" he sighed.

…and opened his eyes to a large face looming above him. "Chad!"

He instinctively covered his bare private parts and sat upright. "What are you doing here!?"

Ignoring his friend's panic, Chad glanced around. "How was your training?"

"I did fine, I guess. I managed to transform. Urahara really beat the shit out of me, but in the end, it helps."

"Good."

"But I can only maintain the transformation for a few minutes."

"Not good."

"Yeah. Wait, is that why you're here? Just to ask me _that_?"

"Oh, I forgot to tell you."

Ichigo smacked his forehead.

"Rukia called."

"And?"

"Inoue-san is in danger."

"What?"

"Someone took her."

"Damn that Ulquiorra!" Ichigo muttered and began dashing away as fast as he could, leaving his friend, still sitting on the grass.

Chad scratched his head, "I haven't even mentioned who took her…"

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The spectacled figure stepped away from behind the tree. He'd been hiding there, watching silently when Grimmjow first entered the mysterious building. It has been a few hours, and Grimmjow hadn't been seen exiting the place, so he must have been captured.

He, Ishida Uryuu, however, had been inside that building, and had been lucky enough to escape from it alive, so he knew better than to go in alone.

"You shouldn't be here," a voice spoke from behind.

Startled, he turned around. "Nemu!"

"If my father sees you, he won't let you live."

Ishida shivered at the thought. He wouldn't want to be seen by Kurotsuchi Mayuri either.

"Ishida-kun, please leave now."

He looked at her. Memories came flooding back to him. He shook his head, dismissing the thoughts.

"I don't want anything bad to happen to you…"

With her words, anger began seeping through him. "Well, it's too late for that, isn't it?"

"Ishida-kun…"

"If you really want that, you won't let your crazy father experiment on me years ago!"

Kurotsuchi Nemu looked down.

"Now I've turned into this monster! When all I ever want is to live peacefully as a normal human!"

"I'm sorry…"

"And I wanted you to be a part of it, Nemu…"

She looked up at him, hope filled her eyes. He winced at the sight.

"But not anymore, Nemu…"

"You've found someone else, I see…"

"Yes, I love her. And she's just a normal girl."

Nemu forced a smile, "I'm so happy for you."

He smiled back, "Thank you. But now her family's been dragged into this werewolf mess. And I want to help her. That's why I'm here."

"You suspected that my father plays a part in all this."

"Yes."

Nemu nodded slowly, "You're right, Ishida-kun? But he's only acting under someone else's orders."

"Who?"

"I'm sorry, Ishida-kun. I want to help you, I really do. But I can't give you the name and betray my father."

"You're not a puppet, Nemu. I know you dislike the works your father's doing all this time."

"I'm afraid that you have to leave now, Ishida-kun. If you want to be safe, don't meddle in my father's business."

Ishida shrugged, "Fine. But if you think all this will hinder me, you're wrong. I will do anything to help Tatsuki, and her family."

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In his dark office, Ichimaru Gin sat alone. Leaning against his chair, a satisfied smile played on his face. "Ah, so the _knight_ finally began his move…"

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"_I don't simply create probabilities, I guide them_."


	20. ACT XX : Approaching Danger

**Author's Note : **First of all, thank you guys for the review and the congratulations. Your continuos support are amazing, and I'm really really touched. Anyway, hope you guys enjoy reading this chapter. We're a few chapters left toward the ending so I hope you guys will keep reading until the very end! Hehe... =)

**Summary** : Inoue Orihime, an orphaned girl who worked at a chocolate shop met and fell in love with a werewolf, Kurosaki Ichigo. Due to a trauma he faced during his childhood, he was unable to transform into his wolf form. As they fell deeper in love, it was revealed that Orihime was already engaged to another werewolf, a pack leader, named Ulquiorra. Staying true to her promise, she chose Ulquiorra over Ichigo, but Ichigo wasn't willing to give her up yet.

Meanwhile, Orihime's _brother_, Abarai Renji, was investigating a series of killing that seemed to be done by a werewolf. One of his colleague was killed. He was devastated, but the incident brought him closer to Kuchiki Rukia, another werewolf who was also Ichigo's best friend.

In last chapter, it was revealed that the killer killed humans to feast on them to help increase his power. However, that wasn't enough for him. With the help of a brilliant wizard, Kurotsuchi Mayuri, he began killing other werewolves as well, especially The Fallen (werewolves who've broken the rules and were cast out of their pack).

The killer also seemed to target Ichigo as he was prophecied to be the future leader of the werewolves, and also the most powerful one. Ichigo trained to regain his ability to transform to win a duel against Ulquiorra, unaware of the killer plotting to kill him. To make things worst, Orihime was kidnapped by Ichimaru Gin.

Who is this mysterious killer? Will Ichigo be able to save the love of her life?

**Disclaimer :** I don't own Bleach. I also included lyrics from the song "Safe and Sound" by Taylor Swift.

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_I remember tears streaming down your face_

_When I said, I'll never let you go_

_When all those shadows almost killed your light_

_I remember you said, Don't leave me here alone_

_But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight_

_Just close your eyes_

_The sun is going down_

_You'll be alright_

_No one can hurt you now_

_Come morning light_

_You and I'll be safe and sound…_

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"Ulquiorra!"

Ichigo banged hard on the massive mansion door. His fist already hurt but it didn't stop him. He could hear muffled voices from the other side. The servants had gathered but none of them dared to open the door to a raging man.

"Ulquiorra! Open the door, dammit!"

Ichigo muttered a curse. He was about to kick the door when it suddenly swung open, revealing a tousled-hair, shirtless Ulquiorra.

He squinted at Ichigo, his eyes puffy from sleep. "Kurosaki! What are you doing here? At this time?"

Ichigo didn't reply. He grabbed Ulquiorra by the shoulder and pushed. They skidded backward for a few feet until Ulquiorra's back stopped smack against the cold, brick wall. Ulquiorra winced in pain.

"Are you crazy!?"

"Where is she?"

"Who?"

"Orihime! Where did you hide her?"

Shocked, Ulquiorra struggled to push Ichigo away. "What do you mean? What happened to her?"

"Stop playing dumb."

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about!"

"Guess I'll have to find out by force then."

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The two wolves ran side by side, glancing at each other every once in a while; communicating telepathically.

_Do you think we're doing the right thing?_ It was the larger one, Asano Keigo, who asked.

_I don't know…_

_Helping Ichigo, and Rukia-san would mean we have to go against the elders… You do realize that, don't you?_

_But they're our friends. We have to help them._

_I'm scared, Mizuiro. I feel something bad is going to happen._

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To most werewolves, the transformation often happens almost naturally. But to Ichigo, who've just regained his ability to transform, it was an excruciating, painful process.

First, he closed his eyes, willing every inch of his body to relax. As that happened, his senses sharpened; he became more attuned to his surrounding, and more sensitive to smell.

Then, the pain came. It felt as if his muscles enlarged and popped. Ichigo screamed as he dropped to his knees, his head bowed. Bright orange fur began spreading all over him. When he finally looked up, Ulquiorra saw his piercing, red eyes. Ichigo growled at him, revealing strong, sharp teeth.

His transformation was complete.

And so was Ulquiorra's.

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"Please take me with you…" she pleaded, tugging at the edge of his shirt.

He shook his head, "No, Tatsuki. It's too dangerous."

"But I can't let you go alone! Besides, Orihime is my best friend. I want to go and save her!"

"I won't allow you to risk your life! You don't know these people. They're _dangerous_."

Sitting at the edge of the bed, Tatsuki looked up at him, "And what about you, Uryuu? Do you know them well enough?"

"Yes! As a matter of fact, Tatsuki, I do!"

She replied nothing. She was worried about Orihime, and she would do anything to save her best friend. But Rangiku and Ishida both warned her not to do it. To make things worst, they both gave her the same reason not to do so; that it was too dangerous.

"Lately, it just feels like everyone is hiding things from me," she whispered.

Sighing, Ishida sat down next to her. He cupped her cheeks and turned her face slowly toward him.

"I'm sorry, okay?"

She nodded silently.

"I think I know who took Inoue. And those people, Tatsuki, they are not humans."

She gasped, "What?"

"They are monsters. _Werewolves_. And I know for certain that there's a wizard helping them."

"Huh? Uryuu, you're not making any sense."

"I know that it must be confusing, but the werewolves do exist, and now, they've taken Orihime."

"But, why? Why her?"

"You know that guy she's in love with, Kurosaki Ichigo, well, he's one of them."

"Ichigo? But he seemed to be so much in love with her. Why would he want to hurt her?"

"No, no. It wasn't Kurosaki Ichigo who took her. It was someone else, I'm pretty sure of it. I think it's most probably done by his enemy or enemies. They must've known what she means to him and they're using her to get to him."

"His enemy? Who could that be…"

"At this moment, I'm not sure…"

"Wait!"

"What?"

"Could it be… Ulquiorra?"

"Ulquiorra?"

"Yes! Orihime once blurted accidentally about him being a werewolf. Back then, I thought she didn't mean it literally, but, he's a possible suspect, isn't he?"

"I don't know. Remember that wizard I said earlier? I don't think that he's working with Ulquiorra. My instinct says it's someone else."

"Hmm…."

"Tatsuki."

"Yes?"

"About my condition, there's something I want to tell you."

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"Onee-san_, where are you taking me?" asked the young boy, tugging the dark-haired woman's hand._

"_Be patient, Uryuu-san, I'm taking you to see my father."_

"_Your father? But, I'm not ready to meet him yet…"_

"_Don't worry, he's a nice man. I'm sure you'll like him. He wants to meet you because I've been talking a lot about you." Then, blushing, she added, "He must've noticed how I feel about you, Uryuu-san."_

_Ishida Uryuu said nothing. His heart beat faster at the indirect confession. Kurotsuchi Nemu, a sexy and intelligent woman he'd met at the library months earlier. He was fifteen, and she was a few years older than him, but he couldn't help falling in love with her._

_She was a very mysterious person. They often met at the library, discussing books for hours, but sometimes, she asked him to accompany her to the jungle. When he asked why, she told him she loved listening to birds._

_But, on that very day, they walked even farther into the jungle. The farthest they had ever been._

"_Did you leave in the jungle, Onee-san?" he asked, as fear began creeping inside him._

_She smiled, "My father hates crowded places."_

_They finally stopped when they reached the enormous, white labyrinth in the jungle._

_Kurotsuchi Nemu turned to face him, flashing him the sweetest smile he'd ever seen. "We've arrived, Uryuu. This is where I live."_

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"Oh my God… She tricked you?"

Ishida nodded slowly, "It turns out that his father is a evil wizard. He experimented on me, turning me into a shapeshifter."

"Uryuu…"

"I trusted her. I loved her. But she betrayed me. Because of my stupidity, I became a monster myself."

She leaned forward and kissed his forehead, "Shhh… Look on the bright side. This unwanted power he gave you will allow you to help a lot of people."

He planted a grateful kiss on her soft lips. "Thank you," he whispered.

"I want you to remember, you'll always be my hero…"

"I will go and save Inoue-san. For you, Tatsuki…"

She hugged him, "Go and save her. I will wait for both of you to be back safely…"

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The white wolf snarled, and circled the newly transformed Ichigo, intimidating him.

_So you're able to transform again now, huh?_

Ichigo growled. Compared to him, Ulquiorra appeared larger and more powerful. He was a bit worried. During training, he was only able to maintain his transformation for a short period of time.

Across him, Ulquiorra revealed his sharp, pointy claws.

_Orihime chose to marry me. Why can't you just let her go, Kurosaki Ichigo?_

_Shut up!_

_She's mine, Kurosaki._

Ichigo lurched forward angrily, attempting to bury his sharp, pointy teeth into Ulquiorra's flesh. Ulquiorra however, being a much more experienced wolf than Ichigo, swerved to the other side, avoiding Ichigo's surprise attack, and lunged his long claws at him.

Strands of orange hair flew about. Ichigo felt a dull pain on his stomach. Ulquiorra managed to scratch him.

_Just give up, Kurosaki. You're no match for me._

_Shut up! I will win this fight! I will win her!_

_You don't understand. She's not some kind of trophy. We don't decide for her. She's free to do whatever she wants._

_Shut your trap, Ulquiorra! I love her and I'm not letting her go._

_Fine._

With that, Ulquiorra leaped forward and knocked Ichigo down. Shocked, Ichigo struggled to get away, but Ulquiorra was already pinning him with his unbelievable weight. Ulquiorra snarled and sunk his teeth into Ichigo's stomach.

Ichigo screamed in pain.

_Orihime…_

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"Ichigo-kun!" Orihime shouted, banging on the locked door. She felt as if something bad was happening to Ichigo.

"Let me out!"

She remembered Ichimaru Gin barging into the house last night, grabbed her and dragged her into his car. She remembered Rangiku screaming, and she remembered how she bit into Gin's arm, her desperate attempt to escape from him, but he felt no pain.

This morning, when she opened her eyes, she was already locked inside a dark, cold dungeon. It was dirty and it was smelly.

"Shut up, bitch! You're hurting my ears," a voice came from the other cell, startling her.

She turned around, "Who are you?"

The man stepped forward slowly, revealing his bright, teal-colored hair. "I'm a nobody," he replied.

"_You_! You kidnapped me before!"

"Well, don't worry about me hurting you. We're pretty much in the same position right now."

Orihime sighed. "Do you know why we're trapped here?"

"I am _food_," he chuckled. "But you, he must've captured you to bait Kurosaki."

"Ichigo-kun? Who would want to hurt him?"

Grimmjow opened his mouth to reply, but suddenly, steps were heard coming toward them.

"Who's that?" Orihime whispered.

"Ssshhh!"

A cloaked figure appeared in front of them. He smiled.

"Ah, I've seen you guys have made acquaintance with each other. But I'm here to take you away, Orihime-san. A princess deserves to be treated as one, not locked away in this filthy place."

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Ichigo whimpered. He was slowly turning back to his human form. His head was fully transformed and he began coughing blood. Ulquiorra maintained his hold, deliberating whether he should kill Ichigo or spare him.

_You're my enemy, Kurosaki._

Ulquiorra closed his eyes.

"Stop!"

And opened them again. A breathless Yasutora Sado stood before them.

"C-Chad?" Ichigo croaked.

"Ulquiorra-san, you have to release him."

Ulquiorra ignored him, and turned his attention toward Ichigo again.

"Someone took Inoue-san!"

Ulquiorra stopped.

"You and Ichigo must save her first!"

Ulquiorra looked down at Ichigo. His opponent was fully transformed into human now. Slowly, he released his death grip on Ichigo's stomach. Blood pooled around him, dripping from wounded stomach.

The white wolf took a few steps back and began his own transformation.

"Get up, Kurosaki," he said once the transformation was done. "Your wound will heal in a short time."

Chad helped the badly injured Ichigo to get up. Ulquiorra glanced at Ichigo's bare body, "I'll lend you my clothes."

"Damn you!" replied Ichigo.

"We'll go save Orihime first, and then we'll finish our duel."

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_Humans are hypocrite creatures._

_They may act kind toward each other, and be nice to their family and friends._

_But the truth is, humans are the most dangerous predator on earth._

_They kill for food._

_They kill for clothes._

_They kill for shelter._

_Humans kill, and they always find excuses to justify that act._

_That's why he despised humans._

_Humans told their children, that werewolves are evil because they hunt and eat humans._

_But when he himself was still a child, it was humans who hunted and killed the werewolves._

_His family, just like Ichigo's, was killed by humans._

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_Don't you dare look out your window darling_

_Everything's on fire_

_The war outside our door keeps raging on_

_Hold onto this lullaby_

_Even when the music's gone_

_Just close your eyes_

_The sun is going down_

_You'll be alright_

_No one can hurt you now_

_Come morning light_

_You and I'll be safe and sound…_

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**The killer's identity will be revealed in the next chapter! **

**Review, please?**


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